Liver mushroom is an edible and tasty mushroom in its young stage, can be fried and used in salads. It grows: in deciduous forests, on old live oaks, at the base or in hollows, singly or in clusters, after heavy rains.
More commonly found in southern forested regions. Cap: fan-shaped, 15-25 cm in diameter, 3-6 cm thick, tongue-like, resembling a spatula, elongated and tapering towards the stem. Upper surface of the cap is red, reddish-brown or brown, while the underside is tubular. Stem: lateral, short, reddish-brown. Flesh: firm and meaty, with light veins, soft and succulent, with orange-red juice, later fibrous and hard.
It is no wonder that this mushroom got its name. Indeed, it looks very much like animal liver, and the resemblance is enhanced by the veins and the red-colored juice. The fruiting body is large, with a cross-section reaching 30 to 40 cm.
Young mushrooms have an unclear shape, more resembling resin exuded from wood, but as it matures, the liver mushroom acquires a more recognizable form. The mushrooms grow on false stems, which help them cling to the tree. The mushroom has a tubular spore-bearing layer of light-brown color.
The mushroom most commonly grows on beeches or oaks. The most favorable climate for the growth of common liver mushroom is warm. Of course, the mushroom is found in northern latitudes, but significantly less frequently.
This mushroom is classified as conditionally edible, and in some cases it can be considered a delicacy. The mushroom contains a significant amount of acid, which can be removed by soaking the mushroom in salted water for a long time, preferably changing the water several times a day.
It should be noted that liver mushroom can only be used fresh. Drying or preserving this mushroom is not possible.
