Agaricus arvensis

What You Should Know

Agaricus arvensis is an edible mushroom of the genus Agaricus. It is white or slightly yellow, with long stems and a hanging veil. The caps have distinct scales, a regular shape and ragged margins due to veil remnants. It has an aniseed smell, which helps with identification. Horse mushroom season starts from May to October. The mushroom should be cooked before eating.

The genus Agaricus has a worldwide distribution, with up to 90 species recorded in Europe and more than 40 species recorded in the United Kingdom. Estimates for the worldwide totals of Agaricus species vary but are likely to exceed 200.

Some research has been undertaken into the potential antioxidant activity of the horse mushroom. It has been used to treat lumbago and tendon pain in China.

Other names: Horse Mushroom, Snowball Mushroom, Abrahams, Schafchampignon / Weißer Anis-Champignon (German), Gewone anijschampignon (Netherlands), Pečárka ovčí (Czech Republic), Snöbollschampinjon (Sweden), Tīruma atmatene (Latvia), Erdőszéli csiperke (Hungary), Mindvris kama (Georgia).

Agaricus arvensis Mushroom Identification

1. Cap

   8-30 cm in diameter. Young horse mushroom are white but gradually yellowing with age, smooth or with fine scales, initially spherical, expanding to flat or nearly flat. Caps turn yellow at the pressure point, and old caps usually have a tawny tinge.

2. Gills

   The gills are initially pale pink, darkened, then brown, free and crowded.

3. Stem

   Up to 10 cm usually form a small bulb at the base and a strong double ring with gears at the base. The solid stem is smooth above the ring, but sometimes has thin scales below. Its diameter is between 2 and 3 cm.

4. Flesh

   The flesh is dense, white, on the cut it acquires an ocher color, when dried it is yellowish-beige, sweetish in taste, with an anise smell.

5. Spores

   Ellipsoidal, smooth, 6-9 x 4-6µm.

6. Spore Print

   Dark purple-brown.

7. Habitat

   It grows singly or in groups from May to October, in various environments such as meadows, pastures, forests, gardens, and parks.

Agaricus arvensis Look-Alikes

Checkout seven different horse mushroom look-alikes:

1. Agaricus moelleri

   Have an unpleasant odor of phenol or bottled ink. It also can stain strongly yellow, particularly in the base of the stem, when bruised or cut.

2. Agaricus osecanus

   Without the aniseed smell.

3. Agaricus xanthodermus

   Can cause stomach upsets.

4. Agaricus sylvicola

   Has a frail and delicate ring, but also edible.

5. Agaricus campestris

   Has pink gills when young and a smaller cap.

6. Agaricus bitorquis

   More common in the summer and autumn.

7. Agaricus bisporus

   Very similar and is the most commonly cultivated mushroom of the genus Agaricus.

Horse Mushroom vs. Yellow Stainer

Yellow Stainers (Agaricus xanthodermus) do not always have a yellow color but have a smell similar to ink or phenol. They can cause symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and sweats, but these symptoms usually go away within a couple of days. Horse Mushrooms may resemble Yellow Stainers, as they can bruise slightly yellow and grow in the same areas. However, Horse Mushrooms have a distinct smell of aniseed, which is the main identification feature.

Agaricus arvensis Cooking Notes

Agaricus arvensis mushrooms have a strong flavor that works well with many cooking methods. They are best used shortly after picking to preserve their anise/almond aroma. They are good for tempura, sautéing, microwaving, drying, making soup, grilling, stuffing, and pairing with steak and other strong-flavored red meats. A large horse mushroom cap can be used as the "dough" for pizza.

Recipe: Cabbage and Horse Mushroom with Pickled Plums

Ingredients

1. 3 c shredded green cabbage, lightly salted, set aside

2. 1 c sliced horse mushroom

3. 1 T Umeboshi plums, pits removed (about 5)

4. 2 T vegetable oil

5. 2 t dark sesame oil

6. ½ t sugar

7. salt to taste

How to cook

1. Over a medium flame, heat the oils in a large skillet.

2. Add the mushrooms, and saute for one minute.

3. Add the salted cabbage and stir until just wilted.

4. Stir in the sugar and plums.

5. Cook for one more minute.

6. Serve hot or at room temperature. Serves four as a first course.

Recipe: Stuffed and Baked Horse Mushrooms

Ingredients

1. 2 Large but round Horse mushrooms

2. Half a red onion

3. 1 Tbsp Butter

4. 1 Tbsp Stilton

5. 1 Tbsp Breadcrumbs

6. Olive Oil

7. Maldon Salt

8. Black Pepper

From the garden

Small bunch of herbs including Parsley, Coriander, Dill, Chives and Thyme or you could go with Wild herbs and use Sorrel, Wild Marjoram, Cow Parsley, Water Mint and Wild Chives

How to cook

1. Get the oven on to 200C.

2. Start by cleaning the Mushrooms, remove the stalks and chop, reserving them until later. Next place the Horse mushrooms onto a baking tray, gill side up. As the mushrooms are quite big we want to be generous with the flavor so divide the batter into two and add the butter to each mushroom. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and place a sprig of fresh thyme in both the mushrooms (if the Thyme stalks are a little woody pulls the leaves off and place just the leaves in the base of each of the Horse Mushroom caps.

3. Place into the oven and bake for 10 minutes.

4. Whilst the Horse Mushrooms are baking, heat some olive oil in a frying pan, fry the chopped onion for a minute or so and add the chopped mushroom stalks and cook until soft.

5. Chop your herbs.

6. Once the mushrooms have cooked for 10 minutes, spoon the onion and mushroom stalk mixture into the two baked mushrooms and sprinkle each of the mushrooms with the herbs reserving half. Break the Stilton with your fingertips and place it on top of the mushrooms. Finally sprinkle breadcrumbs over the top of the cheese, finish with a final swirl of Olive Oil, and then put back in the oven until for about 5 minutes, don’t remove until the cheese is melted and bubbling!

7. To serve, place the mushrooms onto a serving plate and sprinkle over the remaining chopped fresh herbs.

Recipe: Horse Mushroom Croustade

Croustade

1. 100 g (4 oz) soft breadcrumbs

2. 100 g (4 oz) ground almonds or other nuts

3. 50 g (2 oz) butter

4. 100 g (4 oz) flaked almonds

5. pine kernels or hazelnuts

6. 1 clove garlic, crushed

7. ½ teaspoon mixed herbs

Topping

1. 450 g (1 lb) mushrooms

2. 50 g (2 oz) butter

3. 2 heaped teaspoons flour

4. 450 ml (¾ pint) milk

5. salt

6. pepper

7. nutmeg

8. 4 tomatoes

9. 1 teaspoon chopped parsley

How to cook

1. Croustade: mix breadcrumbs and ground nuts and rub in butter, cut in small pieces.

2. Add flaked almonds, garlic, and herbs. Mix well and press down into an ovenproof dish, making a layer about 1 cm (½ in) thick. Bake at 230˚C (450˚F, Mark 8) for 15–17 minutes until golden brown.

3. Topping: wash and slice mushrooms, sauté in butter until tender, add flour and when it froths remove from heat and stir in milk.

4. Return to heat until thickened, then season. Spoon mixture on top of croustade, top with skinned and sliced tomatoes, and a little salt, pepper and nutmeg. Return to oven for 10–15 minutes. Serve decorated with parsley.

Agaricus arvensis Taxonomy and Etymology

In 1762 Bavarioan mycologist Jacob Christian Schaeffer give it the name Agaricus arvensis. The specific epithet arvensis means 'of the field' or 'of meadows' it is a reference to the mushroom habitat.

Agaricus arvensis Synonyms

• Psalliota arvensis (Schaeff.) P.Kumm., 1871

• Agaricus arvensis var. exquisitus (Vittad.) Cetto 1988

• Agaricus cretaceus

• Agaricus exquisitus Berk.

• Agaricus fissuratus (F.H. Møller) F.H. Møller 1952

• Agaricus leucotrichus (F.H. Møller) F.H. Møller 1952

• Fungus arvensis (Schaeff.) Kuntze, 1898

• Phaeomarasmius chiliotrichi Singer 1951

• Phaeomarasmius exquisitus (Berk.) Raithelh. 1990

• Pratella arvensis (Schaeff.) Gillet, 1878

• Psalliota arvensis (Schaeff.) Gillet 1878871

• Psalliota arvensis forma obesa W.G. Sm. 1910

• Psalliota arvensis var. albosquamosa W.G. Sm. 1910

• Psalliota arvensis var. hortensis W.G. Sm. 1910

• Psalliota campestris var. arvensis (Schaeff.) Cheel, 1913

• Psalliota fissurata F.H. Møller, 1952

• Psalliota leucotricha F.H. Møller, 1952

Agaricus arvensis Video

Sources:

Photo 1 - Author: Richard Daniel (RichardDaniel) (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported)

Photo 2 - Author: Salix (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported)

Photo 3 - Author: Rictor Norton & David Allen from London, United Kingdom (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)