Wood blewit
Encyclopedia
Blewit refers to two closely related species of edible agarics in the genus Lepista
, the wood blewit (Clitocybe nuda
) and the field blewit or blue-leg (C.saeva). Both species are treated by some authorities as belonging to the genus Lepista
.
segregate genus Lepista
. Recent molecular research suggests the genus Lepista is nested within Clitocybe
..
, which is edible for most people.
Field blewits are often infested with fly larvae and do not store very well; they should therefore be used soon after picking. They are also very porous, so they are best picked on a dry day.
In most mycologists' opinion, the blewits are considered excellent mushrooms, despite their coloration. Blewits can be eaten as a cream sauce or sautéed
in butter
, but it is important not to eat them raw, which could lead to indigestion. They can also be cooked like tripe
or as omelette
filling, and wood blewits also make good stew
ing mushrooms..
Lepista
Lepista is a deprecated genus of mushrooms, formerly grouped in the large genus Tricholoma and more recently found to be a synonym of Clitocybe. However, Clitocybe itself appears polyphyletic and may have to be split...
, the wood blewit (Clitocybe nuda
Clitocybe nuda
Clitocybe nuda , is an edible mushroom, found in both coniferous and deciduous woodlands. It is a fairly distinctive mushroom which is widely eaten, though there is some caution about edibility...
) and the field blewit or blue-leg (C.saeva). Both species are treated by some authorities as belonging to the genus Lepista
Lepista
Lepista is a deprecated genus of mushrooms, formerly grouped in the large genus Tricholoma and more recently found to be a synonym of Clitocybe. However, Clitocybe itself appears polyphyletic and may have to be split...
.
Classification
Both species have been treated by many authorities as belonging to the ClitocybeClitocybe
Hundreds of species of mushrooms compose the fungus genus Clitocybe. They are characterized by white, off-white, buff, cream, pink, or light-yellow spores, gills running down the stem, and pale white to brown or lilac coloration. They are primarily saprotrophic, decomposing forest ground litter...
segregate genus Lepista
Lepista
Lepista is a deprecated genus of mushrooms, formerly grouped in the large genus Tricholoma and more recently found to be a synonym of Clitocybe. However, Clitocybe itself appears polyphyletic and may have to be split...
. Recent molecular research suggests the genus Lepista is nested within Clitocybe
Clitocybe
Hundreds of species of mushrooms compose the fungus genus Clitocybe. They are characterized by white, off-white, buff, cream, pink, or light-yellow spores, gills running down the stem, and pale white to brown or lilac coloration. They are primarily saprotrophic, decomposing forest ground litter...
..
Edibility
Both wood blewits and field blewits are generally regarded as edible, but they are known to cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. This is particularly likely if the mushroom is consumed raw, though allergic reactions are known even from cooked blewits. Wood blewits contain the sugar trehaloseTrehalose
Trehalose, also known as mycose or tremalose, is a natural alpha-linked disaccharide formed by an α,α-1,1-glucoside bond between two α-glucose units. In 1832, H.A.L. Wiggers discovered trehalose in an ergot of rye, and in 1859 Marcellin Berthelot isolated it from trehala manna, a substance made...
, which is edible for most people.
Field blewits are often infested with fly larvae and do not store very well; they should therefore be used soon after picking. They are also very porous, so they are best picked on a dry day.
In most mycologists' opinion, the blewits are considered excellent mushrooms, despite their coloration. Blewits can be eaten as a cream sauce or sautéed
Sautéing
Sautéing is a method of cooking food, that uses a small amount of fat in a shallow pan over relatively high heat. Ingredients are usually cut into pieces or thinly sliced to facilitate fast cooking. The primary mode of heat transfer during sautéing is conduction between the pan and the food being...
in butter
Butter
Butter is a dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk. It is generally used as a spread and a condiment, as well as in cooking applications, such as baking, sauce making, and pan frying...
, but it is important not to eat them raw, which could lead to indigestion. They can also be cooked like tripe
Tripe
Tripe is a type of edible offal from the stomachs of various farm animals.-Beef tripe:...
or as omelette
Omelette
In cuisine, an omelette or omelet is a dish made from beaten eggs quickly cooked with butter or oil in a frying pan, sometimes folded around a filling such as cheese, vegetables, meat , or some combination of the above...
filling, and wood blewits also make good stew
Stew
A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables , meat, especially tougher meats suitable for slow-cooking, such as beef. Poultry, sausages, and seafood are also used...
ing mushrooms..