Recipes for making caviar from dried, salted, and raw milk mushrooms for the winter, and storing the prepared ingredients

Seafood and exotic eggplant caviar aren't the only things that can wow guests and elicit a flurry of compliments from the hostess. Canned caviar, made from milk mushrooms for the winter, is a healthy and nutritious dish in Russian cuisine. Read this article to the end to learn how to prepare it properly.

How to prepare milk mushroom caviar for the winter

A highly nutritious product with a refined, rich aftertaste can be made from forest-harvested milk mushrooms. The caviar is completely ready to eat as a standalone dish, but it's also great as a filling for delicious homemade pies and pancakes.

All recipes for preparing caviar are simple and straightforward; in most cases, you will need:

• mushroom caps and stems;
• salt;
• onion.

The ingredients are ground in a meat grinder, which is probably found in every home. Sometimes herbs (dill and parsley) are added.

Important: Mushroom caviar is a great way to recycle forest fruits, and the potential for using it in other homemade delicacies allows you to stock up on filling for pies and pancakes for a long time.

Selecting and preparing mushrooms

The caviar mixture is prepared from dry, salted, pickled or raw milk mushrooms, with the addition of vegetables and spices.

Various types of mushrooms are suitable - black, white, yellow, but they must be edible.

For processing, they are prepared using a standard method: they are cleared of forest debris, the strongest ones (raw), washed (salted), and soaked for several hours (dry). After a while, the resulting semi-finished product can be used to make caviar.

How to make milk mushroom caviar at home

You don't need any complicated equipment or specialized knowledge to prepare it at home. All you need is to use one of the well-known recipes, gather the ingredients, apply a little ingenuity, and, ultimately, obtain an original finished product.

Classic recipe

The classic method for preparing mushroom caviar is based on using raw milk mushroom stems and caps. For one recipe, you'll need:

• freshly picked mushrooms – 1 kilogram;
• onions – 2-3 pieces;
• ready-made mushroom broth – 100 grams;
• vegetable oil;
• clove stems – a couple of pieces;
• salt and ground black pepper (add to taste).

Mushroom stems are most often used for mushroom caviar because they are denser and meatier. They start with the bulbs: remove the outer layer, wash them, and grind them in a food processor or blender. You'll also need to boil some mushrooms to make broth. Clean milk mushroom stems, separated from their caps, are also minced, then mixed with onions and poured into the broth. The product is salted and seasoned with spices at the very end.

Heat the resulting mixture in an enamel pan, gradually bring to a boil, allow to cool, and distribute evenly among jars. It is recommended to store the caviar under a plastic or tin lid.

This isn't the only recipe for a raw caviar mixture; there are others. For example, this one: fresh mushroom mixture is simmered until the excess liquid (juice) evaporates. The fried mixture is finely chopped and mixed with lightly fried chopped onion. The finished caviar is an excellent option for filling pies and making quick sandwiches.

You will need:

1. Fresh milk mushrooms – 0.5 kilograms.
2. Onion - one head.
3. Vegetable oil – about 2 tablespoons.

Add salt and pepper according to your taste, being careful not to make the mixture too spicy.

From salted milk mushrooms

Pickled mushrooms are an excellent, traditional Russian appetizer in their own right, and they can also be used as a semi-finished product for the caviar mixture.

Chop the milk mushrooms, add the pre-fried onion, chopped or pressed garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together – the caviar is ready. Serve the dish in a salad bowl, sprinkled with finely chopped dill. The recipe calls for: 450 grams of salted mushrooms, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 onion, 45 milliliters (3 tablespoons) of sunflower oil, pepper, salt, and herbs – to your liking.

Important: In ancient times, mushrooms for caviar were prepared by finely chopping them with a special knife (a chopper) on a board or in a trough: this made the caviar more uniform, without damaged fibers, and incredibly tasty.

With carrots, tomatoes and onions

This dish requires additional ingredients: carrots and ripe tomatoes. The proportions for this delicious vegetable caviar are calculated as follows:

1. Raw milk mushrooms – 1 kilogram.
2. Tomatoes – 1 kilogram.
3. A couple of carrots.
4. 5-6 onions.
5. Sunflower oil.
6. Spices (pepper, cloves).

First, the mushrooms are boiled to soften them. The mixture is drained, chopped (not too finely), and fried in oil. The chopped vegetables are also fried, seasoned, mixed with the mushrooms, and simmered over low heat. The finished caviar can be stored like regular canned goods, in a glass container, or served immediately. Thyme is sometimes added for a piquant flavor.

From dried milk mushrooms

Dried mushrooms will need to be soaked in water first. A great effect can be achieved by mixing white and black milk mushrooms together, but a caviar mixture using only white mushrooms is also possible. Uses:

• 80 grams of black and 20 grams of white milk mushrooms;
• sunflower oil – 4-5 tablespoons;
• salt, pepper (to taste);
• greens (dill leaves) dry or fresh.

The soaked mushrooms are drained in a colander, without discarding the water—the milk mushrooms will be cooked in this water. It's important to strain the liquid to remove any sand or sediment. The milk mushrooms are cooked for about an hour, until soft, then removed and finely chopped. The onion is fried separately until golden brown (it's best to chop it finely), then added to the mushrooms.

The mixture is ground in a meat grinder and fried until fully cooked. The caviar is seasoned with salt, spices, and dill (sometimes vinegar). It can be stored in the refrigerator without sterilization for 3-4 days. Hot croutons of black bread are especially delicious with this caviar.

With garlic

Caviar for lovers of spicy, piquant flavors. For 1 kilogram of freshly picked milk mushrooms, you'll need 4-5 onions, 3 cloves of garlic, a couple of tablespoons of sunflower oil, and spices (pepper). Thoroughly clean and sort the milk mushrooms, then wash, boil, and chop them. Chop the onion and garlic (onion into half rings, garlic into slices), fry in oil until translucent, then add them to the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for no more than 15 minutes.

With sweet pepper

To keep things simple, just use the classic recipe and add sweet bell peppers. You can also combine the mixture with tomatoes; the flavor will be enhanced. For every 3 parts mushrooms, you'll need 1 part vegetables.

It's recommended to boil the milk mushrooms to soften them. Then, finely chop all the ingredients and fry them in oil. The finished caviar can be sterilized and stored in glass jars or served immediately. Pepper adds a soft, sweet note to the overall flavor.

With tomato paste

For this recipe the housewife will need:

1. Milk mushrooms – 2 kilograms.
2. Tomato paste (puree) – 1 can (500 grams).
3. Sugar – 100 grams.
4. Table vinegar 9% – 80 milliliters.
5. Food grade citric acid – 8 milligrams.
6. Bay leaf, salt and pepper – to your taste.

The mushrooms are boiled in salted water with a pinch of citric acid until softened, cooled, and then finely chopped. Sugar and salt are dissolved in hot water and mixed with tomato paste. Pour the resulting dressing over the mushrooms, add vinegar and bay leaf, and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for no longer than 10 minutes. The finished product is placed in a glass container, sterilized, and then stored as usual at home.

With parsley

The recipe is based on dried white milk caps. Sort and wash 500 grams of the mushrooms, boil them in unsalted water (preferably soaked first), and then chop them. Don't discard the rich mushroom broth—it's great for making soup or borscht.

Peel 10-12 onions, finely chop, and fry in vegetable oil until golden brown, then mix with the mushrooms. Season the finished mushroom mixture to taste, add salt, stir, add vinegar (no more than 2 tablespoons), and serve. Garnish the caviar with parsley leaves and a lemon wedge, then serve.

With zucchini

Salted milk mushrooms are used for milk mushroom caviar mixed with zucchini caviar. The ingredients required are:

1. Salted milk mushroom – 3 kilograms.
2. Zucchini – 2 kilograms.
3. Onion – 450 grams.
4. Mushroom broth – 300 milliliters.
5. Sunflower oil – 30 milliliters.
6. Spices (pepper, cloves) – to your taste.

Rinse the mushrooms under running water to remove the salt, then drain in a colander. Grind the mushroom mixture, finely chopped onion, and raw zucchini (in a food processor or meat grinder), mix with broth, butter, and seasonings, salt, and simmer until the excess liquid evaporates (the consistency of a thick puree). The finished caviar mixture is sterilized and sealed in jars with lids.

With vinegar

You'll need 3 kilograms of raw milk mushrooms, 450 milliliters of vegetable oil, 200 grams of tomato paste, 90 milliliters of 9% vinegar, 3 grams of citric acid, ground black pepper, and salt. Boil the mushrooms in salted water, then grind them in a meat grinder. Mix the resulting puree with half the oil, the tomato, and citric acid, and simmer for no more than 15 minutes.

About 5 minutes before the end of cooking, add the remaining oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper, then bring the mixture to a boil. Place in a glass container with a lid.

With apple cider vinegar

Composition of caviar:

1. Milk mushrooms – 4 kilograms.
2. Carrots, onions – 0.5 kilograms each.
3. Tomato puree or paste – 160 grams.
4. Parsley (root) – 150 grams.
5. Apple cider vinegar – 150 milliliters.
6. Sunflower oil – 100 milliliters.

Raw mushrooms are pureed in a blender, along with the onion, parsley root, and carrots. Pre-chopped parsley, the prepared mixture, spices, vinegar, and salt are added to the oil heated in a wide-bottomed frying pan. A bay leaf can be added. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, then remove from the heat, pour into jars, and sterilize for 30 minutes. Seal with lids as usual.

With a mixture of peppers

A mixture of two types of peppers adds a special piquant flavor to the caviar. For 2 kilograms of milk mushrooms, you'll need 300 grams each of carrots and onions, and 190 milliliters of sunflower oil. Add spices and salt to taste. Boil the milk mushrooms in salted water, cool, and chop finely. Grind the onion and carrots through a meat grinder, fry in oil, and combine with the mushrooms. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and simmer for about an hour. The finished caviar mixture is placed in jars and sterilized.

With celery

The recipe features the addition of celery greens to any of the classic ones. For example, this one:

1. Milk mushrooms – 5 kilograms.
2. Tomato puree – 1 can (500 grams).
3. Vinegar essence 70% – 20 milliliters.
4. Vegetable oil – 50 milliliters.

Boil the mushrooms, then chop them and simmer in the oven with the door open for about 40 minutes – this will enhance the flavor of the caviar. Finely chopped celery is sautéed in butter, then mixed with the mushrooms and tomato, and simmered. Finally, add the seasonings and bring the mixture to a boil. Store in a sterilized glass container of a suitable size.

From white milk mushrooms

There are many popular recipes for vegetable caviar made from white milk mushrooms—dried, boiled, pickled, and salted. Here's one of them.

The mushroom stems are cleaned, washed, boiled in salted water, then cooled and finely chopped. The resulting smooth mixture is fried for half an hour, stirring, over low heat. The onion is prepared separately: chopped and fried along with the tomatoes. The mushroom mixture is simmered over medium heat for no more than 15 minutes. Salt and seasonings are added at the very end. The mixture is placed in jars while still hot, sterilized, and sealed with lids.

For 1 kilogram of mushrooms you will need:

• ripe tomatoes – 300 grams;
• onion – 200 grams;
• vegetable oil – 2-3 tablespoons;
• salt, spices – to taste.

How long can mushroom preparations be stored?

Caviar without sterilization (freshly prepared) is stored like a regular product: in the refrigerator for several days, rolled up in jars under a tin lid - up to a year, but not more.

Rules for storing milk mushroom caviar

It's important to remember that cooked caviar isn't meant to be stored for long periods of time; it should be consumed as quickly as possible. It should be stored in a cool place for a limited period of time.

For products packaged in glass jars, the rules are standard, as for regular home canning: several months (usually until the new harvest).

Any signs of turbidity, sediment, or suspicious inclusions in the caviar during storage are not allowed: it will have to be thrown out to avoid food poisoning.