Gemisch is Yiddish for mess. In our house, gemisch refers to a culinary experiment. It can be the product of too many things to use up in the fridge or an adaptation of a recipe because you forgot an ingredient. Some gemisches live up to the translation; others enter the echelon of epic eating. Most are serviceable meals for weeknights.
A couple of gemisches have graced this blog: the asparagus and pasta recipe from “When the SO’s Away” and an adaptation of my grandmother’s Swiss steak in “How to Write a Recipe…” Some gemisches are simple substitutions, such as using dried fruit instead of candied citron and cherries in Christmas bread. Others are more elaborate, or come out of pure imagination. Here are a few guidelines to keep your gemisch from being a mess:
In general, baking is trickier than cooking to gemisch. The flour/liquid ratio is key to obtaining the desired result. Egg yolks are required to emulsify fat with other liquid in the recipe. The protein in egg whites may provide additional structure to the recipe, as in the gluten-free matzoh balls turned pancakes shown in “Seder Day Night with the Goys.” Oil substituted for melted butter in a recipe will give you an entirely different taste, texture, and mouthfeel; however, in small quantities (less than 1/2 cup per loaf of bread or batch of cookies), you can get away with it.
If you’re substituting other “milks” for cow’s milk, be aware that protein contents are wildly different. One cup of cow’s milk has 8 grams of protein; one cup of nut and other non-soy milks have 2 grams of protein or less. The fat content of these milks may alter the recipe. For example, coconut milk is much higher in fat than whole milk.
Some related items don’t work as substitutions. Italian basil won’t work in a Thai or Vietnamese recipe, and vice versa.
(Suggested by Julian) Some sugar substitutes will not behave the same way as sugar in a recipe, particularly in baking. Honey is sweeter than sugar, but can be substituted in small amounts. It will also alter the texture of a recipe.
You can use starches other than flour to thicken a sauce. Cornstarch and arrowroot are two examples. Use about half the amount of cornstarch as flour for a recipe (1 tablespoon of cornstarch thickens the same as 2 tablespoons of flour).
If the alterations you have to make to key ingredients of a recipe add up to too much, you need to find another recipe. This is common with trying to adapt dishes for vegetarians or vegans, or if you’re dealing with multiple food allergies or intolerances.
1 comments
I grew up in a German heritage home where my mother often made “gemische”. It consisted of potatoes, green beans, smoked pork, and onion; all cooked low and slow. It’s a fond food memory from my childhood. I never associated it with Jewish culture (because of the pork), but with (maybe) peasant culture.