The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donahue (2020)

I found the author's first book incredibly painful to read, and yet it made me think through the natural sequence of trauma and also the public's appetite for scandal and intrusion into places they are not wanted or welcome.  While it was a darker corner of humanity, the prevalence of human trafficking and the boundaries of what can happen are not even close to the edge of what we know men do to women.

So, here we are at her second book.  It is set in a maternity ward in a Dublin hospital during the Spanish Flu.  Overwhelmed hospital staff are bedding patients on the floor, and stores have run out of disinfectant (sounding at all familiar yet). The pandemic is simply a backdrop for a memorable portrait of women’s lives scarred by poverty and too many pregnancies in a society that supports neither them nor their children.  The Catholic Church is called to judgment, as well it should be.   Her hero is Julia Power, a maternity nurse striving to save the lives of pregnant women at even greater risk than usual during labor and delivery because they have the flu. She has to care for them in a converted supply room barely big enough for three cots.  Equipment and personnel are both scarce.  All of this is set, for me, against the back drop of our current pandemic, where we are no better prepared to distance and protect both ourselves and others.  A powerful read.
 

Five Spice Roasted Carrots

My spouse was left to make the bulk of the Thanksgiving meal, and he chose this recipe from the New York Times to make with our CSA carrots--quite delicious!

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon five-spice powder
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• Kosher salt
• 2 pounds carrots halved lengthwise if large
• ¼ cup  almonds
• ¼ cup sliced chives 
• 1 to 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1. Arrange one oven rack at the top and one at the bottom of the oven. Place a baking sheet on the bottom rack and heat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. In large bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons olive oil with the five-spice powder, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the carrots and toss to coat. Transfer carrots to the hot baking sheet and arrange in an even layer and roast, on the bottom rack, until the carrots are tender and browned all over, 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
3. While carrots are roasting, toast almonds on a separate baking sheet, on the top rack, until golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Allow to cool, then finely chop and transfer to a large bowl or serving platter. Add the chives, vinegar, ginger and remaining olive oil to the almonds, and season with salt. Add roasted carrots and toss to coat. Serve hot (we did room temp and they were great).

 

Sound of Metal (2020)

Our friends, for a holiday treat, rented an independent theater out for 10 of us (three bubbles, spaced far apart), and it was great to hear this movie about loosing your hearing in a space with state of the art sound.  This is a poerful story incredibly told.

Ruben and Lou are drummer and singer in a metal band, on the road, performing and living in their motor home.  Shortly after meeting them we’re watching the drummer realize that his hearing is drastically disappearing. This is not a mere ringing in the ears or minor hearing loss. At his first meeting with a doctor, he gets word after word wrong, and he’s told that he’s lost 80-90% of his hearing, and the rest will likely soon follow. With a few exceptions, Riz Ahmed plays it subtle, conveying the quietness that often comes with fear and denial. He can play through it (even though the doctor tells him absolutely not). He can get surgery. Everything will be fine. Let's ignore it and go to the next show.

However, Lou knows there’s another problem to consider—Ruben is a recovering addict. He’s been clean for four years, but she knows that trauma often leads to relapse, and knows that Ruben needs focus or he will destroy himself.  This movie will be classified as a drama about deafness, but addiction is a notable part of this story, and just as accomplished. 

So this is incredible.  The sound track is told largely from the perspective of Ruben, so we get a glimpse of the world from a deaf person's perspective.  There are some hearing people in the movie, but the lead actor worked hard to learn ASL and the other main actor playing a deaf person is the son of deaf parents and has been signing his whole life.  Do not let the music genre dissuade you from this movie.

 

Open Kitchen by Susan Spungen

This cookbook is the December featured cookbook for the Food 52 Cookbook club.  I had it out of the library over the summer, and on a casual look through thought that it was not for me.  Then I made a recipe, and reading the directions and the context and then tasting the food, I thought, well, it is a pandemic, and we need inspiration to continue to thrive on the food that we are making, so why not?

There are several things that I love about this book, not the least of which are the photos, but a cookbook that has an extensive salads section, on top of vegetable sides is a cookbook for me.  There is plenty of meat in here, but there are quite a few recipes with none, and then others where it can be omitted or is optional.  The book identifies recipes that are projects rather than week night dishes, and there is a break down of when you can do what ahead, so that is you are transporting the dish, or prepping for a week night meal that is elaborate ahead of time, you know exactly what works, at least from the author's point of view.  A nice addition to my collection.
 

Roasted Squash and Lentils

I have a whole refrigerator full of winter vegetables, and while Yotam Ottlenghi has a new cookbook, this one is from his last, Ottolenghi Simple.  I love the format of the cookbook, which is to address what can be done ahead and what needs to be done day of, and this was a nice contrast for squash--not to mention very easy on the prep end.  Weeknight option (although I did on a Saturday).

• 1 large butternut squash—unpeeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons or wedges
• 2 red onions, cut into 1 1/4-inch-wide wedges
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus extra to serve
• 1/2 cup sage leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup (100g) Puy lentils (or 3 cups if starting with ready-cooked)
• 1 large lemon, finely zested to get 2 teaspoons and juiced to get 2 tablespoons
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/4 cup parsley leaves, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup mint leaves, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup tarragon leaves, roughly chopped
• 4 oz. blue cheese crumbled

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. 

2. Place the squash and onions in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the sage leaves, ¾ teaspoon salt and plenty of pepper. Mix well, then spread out on a large parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast until cooked and golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. 

3. While the squash is in the oven, fill a medium saucepan halfway with water (if starting with dried lentils rather than ready-cooked) and place over high heat. Once boiling, add the lentils, decrease the heat to medium and simmer until cooked, about 20 minutes. Drain, set aside to cool slightly, then place in a large bowl. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, mint, tarragon, ¼ teaspoon salt and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.

4. Add the squash and onions to the lentils and stir gently. Transfer to a serving bowl, dot with cheese, drizzle with olive oil and serve. 

 

 

 

 

Over The Moon (2020)

I may not have been in the exact right mood to watch this but I thought it was a miss when it comes to animated movies.  Which is a real shame, because there is a lot to recommend it.  First, it revolves around a Chinese fable that is associated with the Moon Festival, which is the traditional Autumn Festival.  It is not as well known as the Spring Festival, also known as the New Year's Festival, so there is something to learn about another culture, which is a good thing, especially if your home base culture is a bit xenophobic.  Unfortunately, there just isn't the plot or the story line to propel this to greatness.  

The story is this.  Fei Fei has lost her mother, and after four years of just the two of them, he is looking to remarry.  Fei Fei thinks that means that he has forgotten her mother. She wants the fable of Chang'e, the Moon goddess who is waiting for he husband Hou Yi (who is not actually such a great guy in the legend, but here comes off well), to be what her father does as well.  So here is where it gets wacky--she goes to the moon to talk to Chang'e, and she is escorted there by two lions, which are also part of the traditional festival.  The animation is not up to the best of the best either. 

One thing that is highlighted is that moon cakes are a traditional part of the celebration and that they are different in different parts of China.  At movie's end I was thinking maybe I need to try them (even though we are closer to the Spring Festival than the Autumn one).
 

Happy COVID Vaccine

YES!!  THIS!!  It is the brightest end to an otherwise difficult year, both for those of us in health care, who largely stayed employed, or could be employed, and those who are not, which was a very mixed bag of what choices and options there were.  Some refused to alter their routine, but even they encountered limitations because family and friends might not have agreed with them, and whole states banned their entry.  You certainly cannot enter public buildings without a mask in at least the majority of the country.  So we all suffered, to a greater or lesser extent.  And some died.  Others have health consequences that will be with them for a very long time, and for some, the rest of their lives.  So when both Pfizer and Moderna received emergency approval for their vaccines, there is a reason to be hopeful for the first time in months.  The vaccine is built on a delivery systems that has been used in other areas of medicine but not in vaccines, and we are just all very lucky that we have such innovative scientists in our midst at this crazy time in our global history.  The plague did not end until everyone learned to stay at home.  Recent events have shown that we have not changed much, despite all the technology and information we have about past pandemics, no we are destined to repeat history, and so the vaccine offers the first glimmer of real hope. Merry Christmas!
 

Hasselback Potato Gratin

I had eye surgery just before Thanksgiving, which rendered me fatigued and sight impaired, and not the least bit able to really cook much, so instead of what we usually have (as well as who we usually have it with), my spouse went with this recipe from the New York Times Thanksgiving ideas article, and like almost all think Kenji Alt-Lopez creates, these were delicious.

• 3 ounces finely grated Gruyère or comté cheese
• 2 ounces finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 4 to 4 ½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick on a mandoline slicer (7 to 8 medium, see note)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine cheeses in a large bowl. Transfer 1/3 of cheese mixture to a separate bowl and set aside. Add cream, garlic and thyme to cheese mixture. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add potato slices and toss with your hands until every slice is coated with cream mixture, making sure to separate any slices that are sticking together to get the cream mixture in between them.
2. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish with butter. Pick up a handful of potatoes, organizing them into a neat stack, and lay them in the casserole dish with their edges aligned vertically. Continue placing potatoes in the dish, working around the perimeter and into the center until all the potatoes have been added. The potatoes should be very tightly packed. If necessary, slice an additional potato, coat with cream mixture, and add to casserole. Pour the excess cream/cheese mixture evenly over the potatoes until the mixture comes halfway up the sides of the casserole. You may not need all the excess liquid.
3. Cover dish tightly with foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until the top is pale golden brown, about 30 minutes longer. Carefully remove from oven, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and return to oven. Bake until deep golden brown and crisp on top, about 30 minutes longer. Remove from oven, let rest for a few minutes, and serve.

 

Operation Holiday Drop (2020)

This is my last Christmas movie post for a long time.  Never say never, but lets just say I think I have done vanishingly few of these over th more than ten years that I have been blogging.I watched this one while I was recovering from retinal surgery, when I had to lean forward for a period of time in order to promote healing of a hole that had developed right in the middle of my vision.  So it had to be light fare, because after all, I was just waking up from general anesthesia and wasn't up to a thinking man's movie.

This fit the bill for me.  It highlights one of the things about the season that I loved as a child,which is the giving to others.  Strangers especially, to share what you have with those who cannot afford luxuries, like chocolate and oranges, or even necessities, like food and medicine.  This movie, which is a cookie cutter formula of a Christmas movie, don't get me wrong, you would never watch it because it has an excellent script, highlights some of the realities about the South Pacific Islands, included here is one of our very own territories.  Do if you are up for light fare in the season of lights and giving, this may fit the bill for you.

 

Happiest Season (2020)

I have been on a holiday movie streak of sorts.  It is nothing like my Oscar streaks of years past, only a few movies deep, but it is happening all the less.  Usually at this time there would be the shortlists released, and I would be working on those, in particular the documentaries, which I have loved many of the shortlisted documentaries that don't make it to the Academy Award list more than some that do.  This year all of that is pushed back.  Short lists in February, the nominees announced in March, and the awards themselves in late April.

So, I dive into holiday movies!  This one is about being truthful to your family about your sexual orientation.  Harper brings home her girlfriend for a family Christmas that is clearly steeped in a lot of traditions, one of them being that the siblings are encouraged to compete with each other.  Jane is just clearly the out and out loser in this battle, but Harper has a shot at being the favorite--except that she is gay in a family that doesn't openly support that.  So while Harper jumps through a lot of hoops to not reveal the truth, she is about to loose her true love, who just cannot manage it any longer.  The ever fabulous Dan Levy is part of the gay support network and swoops in to provide help.  A warm and fuzzy movie.
 

Holidate (2020)

It is very important to state up front that this is not a very good movie.  It has none of the elements of a good movie.  The story is predictable and trite, the script lacks agility and humor, and there isn't noticeable chemistry between the main characters.  So as a romantic comedy it is a bust.

Be that as it may, when one is watching holiday movies, while that might be a plus, and it is certainly a necessity if it is going to become a tradition (although some families do relish a repeat performance of something spectacularly bad, as Rocky Horror Picture Show exemplifies for Halloween), it is not the essence of why one might watch a holiday movie pre-Christmas.  This one is no Love Actually, or even close, but it is the kind of predictable story trajectory that is comforting going into the darkest days of the year.  This year, like no other, we need that comfort.  We have lost more Americans than we did in WWII, and there is every indication that COVID is on track to be as bad as the Spanish Flu, the only thing saving us is the vaccine, and we need people to agree to it.  I myself am rushing in to get it, but in the meantime I have watched more than one movie such as this.
 

Pumpkin Pomegranate Pie

This is a gorgeous looking pie, and my mother thought it was absolutely delicious.  I thought the chocolate was a bit much, and I would make it a vanilla custard with this cranberry glaze and a ring of pomegranates around the edge.  It comes from Susan Spudgen's new cookbook, Open Kitchen.

For the Crust

• 13 whole graham crackers, (to yield scant 2 cups crumbs; 6 3/8 ounces), broken into pieces
• ¹/₄ cup sugar
• ¹/₄ teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, or semisweet, melted

For the Filling

• 1 pound cubed, peeled butternut squash
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 6 tablespoons whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• ²/₃ cup pure maple syrup
• ¹/₂ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¹/₂ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¹/₈ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¹/₄ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

For the Glaze

• 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
• ¹/₄ cup sugar

At the End

• ²/₃ cup pomegranate seeds

Method

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.

  To make the crust: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the graham crackers, sugar, and salt until fine crumbs form. Add the melted butter and pulse to combine. The mixture should feel like wet sand. Spread out in a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and press the crust in, taking care to build up the sides so you’ll have a nice top edge. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the crust is golden. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then spread evenly with the melted chocolate. Set aside to cool completely while you make the filling. Briefly freeze to harden the chocolate if it hasn’t firmed up by the time you’re ready to fill it

  To make the filling: Toss the butternut squash with the melted butter, spread out on a baking sheet, and roast until tender and golden, turning occasionally, 35 to 40 minutes. The tip of a paring knife should slide in easily when the squash is done. Let cool slightly.

• Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

• Transfer the squash to a blender and add the milk, eggs, maple syrup, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Blend until smooth. Pour into the cooled crust, place on the prepared baking sheet, and bake until slightly puffed at the edges and the surface looks dry and set in the center, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack; when it is cool enough to handle, gently loosen the tart from the ring to make sure it doesn’t stick. Leave the ring on and cool completely. Once cooled, put a few toothpicks in the tart to keep the plastic wrap off of the surface and wrap securely in plastic wrap. If not serving right away, you can refrigerate for up to 2 days. I prefer to glaze the tart a few hours before serving no matter what. Once you glaze it, it’s better if you don’t have to wrap it again.

• To make the glaze: In a small bowl, slowly whisk the pomegranate juice into the cornstarch until smooth. Place in a small saucepan and add the cranberries and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes, until the cranberries have all burst and are very soft. Let cool slightly, then pass through a sieve set over a bowl, using a rubber spatula to squeeze out all of the liquid. Scrape the back side of the strainer to get any excess and stir the glaze. If it looks too thick to pour smoothly, add a few drops of water. Pour the glaze over the tart (it can be chilled or just cool enough to handle) and tip it around so the glaze is even. Decorate the edge with a wide band of pomegranate seeds. Chill until ready to serve.

Timing tips:

Up to 2 days ahead: Bake the tart shell, line with chocolate, and wrap tightly when cooled. Make the filling and glaze and refrigerate.

Up to 1 day ahead: Fill the tart with squash mixture, bake, and cool. Seed the pomegranate.

Up to 3 hours ahead: Glaze the tart and garnish with the pomegranate seeds.

 

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009)

I began this trip down Holiday Movie Lane after my second eye operation, where my doctor told me leaning forward was imperative for a period of time, and ideal for even four weeks.  No lying on your back at all, and the more time forward the better.  And so began my never much done before holiday movie binge.  And I must say, every streaming service is making it remarkably easy this year, with them all teed up on a list of options.

So here we go, with the riff on A Christmas Carol.  I must say I have a weakness for this story, where you get to see the effect of your past and present and then to see where that leads you in your future.  There is really nothing particularly insightful about this beyond that basic story structure, but it is an identifiable variation.   Connor Mead (aptly played by Matthew McConaughey) is the Barney of "How I Met Your Mother", a wealthy and successful photographer for an A brand magazine who met the love of his life young, but deliberately avoids commitment and actively pursues conquests.  This goes exactly as you would predict, and is a nice light Xmas season diversion, nothing more.
 

Open Kitchen Kale Salad

Now that Hanukkah is in the rear view window and if you did it right, you should be completely sick of fried foods.  So the next logical step is to turn to the vegetables that are abundant in the winter, things that survive in the fall, and have a decent shelf life in cold storage.  There are a number of variations of her well known kale salad in Susan Spungen's latest cookbook, Open Kitchen, and I really loved it.  You can top with roasted carrots, or julienned apples, or pomegranate seeds.  I subbed pistachios for almonds because that is what I had. 

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1 small garlic clove, finely grated

¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more

Freshly ground black pepper

2 large bunches of Tuscan kale (about 1½ lb. total), center stem discarded, leaves thinly sliced

12 ounces brussels sprouts, trimmed, finely grated or shredded with a knife

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

⅓ cup almonds with skins, coarsely chopped

1 cup finely grated Pecorino (optional)

Preparation

1.  Combine lemon juice, Dijon mustard, shallot, garlic, ½ tsp. salt, and a pinch of pepper in a small bowl. Stir to blend; set aside to let flavors meld. Mix thinly sliced kale and shredded brussels sprouts in a large bowl.

2.  Measure ½ cup oil into a cup. Spoon 1 Tbsp. oil from cup into a small skillet; heat oil over medium-high heat. Add almonds to skillet and stir frequently until golden brown in spots, about 2 minutes. Transfer nuts to a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle almonds lightly with salt.

3.  Slowly whisk remaining olive oil in cup into lemon-juice mixture. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

4.  Add dressing and cheese to kale mixture; toss to coat. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Garnish with almonds.

5.  Do Ahead: Dressing, kale mixture, and toasted almonds can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover dressing and kale mixture separately and chill. Cover almonds and let stand at room temperature.

 
 

100 Cookies by Sarah Kieffer

The Food 52 Baking Club featured this book in November, and it was surprisingly hard to get a copy of the book, it was so popular.  The author has a long standing blog, The Vanilla Bean Baking Blog, and while this is not her first cookbook, and a number of the recipes are available on line, apparently cookbooks are going like hot cakes in the pandemic.  When we finally got our copy, I could see why.  The cookies pack a punch, and the technique of making large cookies, the size of ones that you might buy in a bakery, and banging them mid-cooking to get them to collapse and ripple, is something you might not think that you need to do, but in the absence of going out to shop and not having an impulse cookie at a bakery or with a meal out, it turns out these fill that void--and give a few away, and you only have a couple left, so it is not as deadly for the waistline as it could be.  I highly recommend this, or at least trying out a recipe or two from her web site.  The Neapolitan cookies are so intensely flavored by will cry.  The oatmeal cookies and the peanut butter cookies are delicious.  The Creme Brulee cheesecake bars are a little slice of a restaurant dessert.  The sesame cookies are also delicious.
 

Winter Vegetable Tian

We have been cooking out of Open Kitchen this month, and this beautiful tian with root vegetables comes from that.  It is super easy to put together, uses all the various kinds of root vegetables you might get in your fall CSA box, and transports well if we ever go to eat at friend's houses again.  You can sub what you have on hand, but the beets add a nice color and the element of earthy favor.

• 1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas, drained, 1/4 cup liquid reserved
• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
•  2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick rounds
• 3 medium-size red beets, peeled and sliced crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick rounds
• 3 parsnips or turnips, or kohlrabi, peeled and sliced diagonally into 1/8-inch-thick slices
• 1-2 small red onions, sliced crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick rounds
•  2 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup) 
•  2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
•   2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine chickpeas, reserved 1/4 cup chickpea liquid, and 1/4 teaspoon salt , a dash of oil and pepper in a food processor; process until mixture is mostly smooth, about 30 seconds. Spread puree evenly on bottom of a 9-inch round (2-quart) baking dish. Toss each grouping of vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Starting at outer edge of dish, arrange groupings of 2 or 3 slices of each vegetable, layering and overlapping slightly, in 2 concentric circles, using chickpea puree to steady slices. Tuck remaining vegetable slices in center to fill up dish.

  Stir together cheese and thyme in a small bowl. Brush top of vegetables with oil; sprinkle with pepper and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Scatter cheese mixture and garlic over tian.

  Cover tightly with aluminum foil, place on a baking sheet, and roast in preheated oven 35 minutes. Uncover and roast until top is lightly browned and vegetables are tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende

I loved this book.  I ready it over several days of Thanksgiving weekend, after having retinal surgery and feeling visually impaired and yet mostly able to read.  This is a sweeping novel without magical realism and informed by real events.  It begins in Spain in the time of the civil war, and ends in Chile after Pinochet.  There is a lot to unpack here, but it carries a faint hint of uneasiness and not belonging.  It is  the story of those who are displaced, who by leaving their home land are forever relegated to being without roots.
The story follows Victor and Roser.  Roser is engaged to Victor's brother, who is killed in the Spanish Civil War.  After that, the situation deteriorates in Spain, and Victor and a now pregnant Roser emigrate (with the help of Pablo Neruda) to Chile.  They marry for legal purposes, and while they love each other, it is the love of family, not a couple.  This causes the sorts of down stream damage that you might imagine. They build a life together, the three of them, but it is one with a back line of sadness throughout.  Allende is a beautiful story teller, and spending time in one of her stories is always time well spent.
 

Sedition American Style

 Never ever forget that this happened.  Last week Texas pursued a law suit that asked the Supreme Court to nullify election results in four other states, all of which voted for Joe Biden in 2020 but went for the Republican candidate in 2016.  They did not include Arizona in the mix, maybe because of the math in the Electoral College rendered them unnecessary.  The point being that there was no interest in the state of the union or righting a wrong.  It was all about upending democracy for their desired end.  The Attorney General in Texas is himself under indictment and could very well be shopping for a pardon, but what is the reason the Congressmen signed an amicus curiae brief supporting the lawsuit?  Seemingly not in their own interest, in some part, as all the down ticket elected officials would be logically negated as well.  The inescapable conclusion is that they do not in any way support democracy.  After all, the Justice Department, under a relentlessly partisan Bill Barr stated no election fraud occurred, and states changing their voting options in a pandemic is within their rights.  Not to mention that they did so well in advance of the election, and where was Texas' consternation then?  No, this is unpatriotic and anti-democratic and they should all be required to leave government. 

Here are their names:

Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana’s 4th Congressional District

Rep. Gary Palmer of Alabama’s 6th Congressional District

Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana’s 1st Congressional District

Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio’s 4th Congressional District

Rep. Ralph Abraham of Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District

Rep. Rick W. Allen of Georgia’s 12th Congressional District

Rep. James R. Baird of Indiana’s 4th Congressional District

Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana’s 3rd Congressional District

Rep. Jack Bergman of Michigan’s 1st Congressional District

Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona’s 5th Congressional District

Rep. Gus Bilirakis of Florida’s 12th Congressional District

Rep. Dan Bishop of North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District

Rep. Mike Bost of Illinois’s 12th Congressional District

Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas’s 8th Congressional District

Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama’s 5th Congressional District

Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado’s 4th Congressional District

Rep. Ted Budd of North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District

Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee’s 2nd Congressional District

Rep. Michael C. Burgess of Texas’s 26th Congressional District

Rep. Bradley Byrne of Alabama’s 1st Congressional District

Rep. Ken Calvert of California’s 42nd Congressional District

Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter of Georgia’s 1st Congressional District

Rep. Ben Cline of Virginia’s 6th Congressional District

Rep. Michael Cloud of Texas’s 27th Congressional District

Rep. Mike Conaway of Texas’s 11th Congressional District

Rep. Rick Crawford of Arkansas’s 1st Congressional District

Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas’s 2nd Congressional District

Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida’s 25th Congressional District

Rep. Jeff Duncan of South Carolina’s 3rd Congressional District

Rep. Neal P. Dunn of Florida’s 2nd Congressional District

Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District

Rep. Ron Estes of Kansas’s 4th Congressional District

Rep. Drew Ferguson of Georgia’s 3rd Congressional District

Rep. Chuck Fleischmann of Tennessee's 3rd Congressional District

Rep. Bill Flores of Texas’s 17th Congressional District

Rep. Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District

Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina’s 5th Congressional District

Rep. Russ Fulcher of Idaho’s 1st Congressional District

Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida’s 1st Congressional District

Rep. Greg Gianforte of Montana’s at-large congressional district

Rep. Bob Gibbs of Ohio’s 7th Congressional District

Rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas’s 1st Congressional District

Rep. Lance Gooden of Texas’s 5th Congressional District

Rep. Sam Graves of Missouri’s 6th Congressional District

Rep. Mark Green of Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District

Rep. Michael Guest of Mississippi’s 3rd Congressional District

Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland’s 1st Congressional District

Rep. Vicky Hartzler of Missouri’s 4th Congressional District

Rep. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District

Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana’s 3rd Congressional District

Rep. Trey Hollingsworth of Indiana’s 9th Congressional District

Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District

Rep. Bill Huizenga of Michigan’s 2nd Congressional District

Rep. Bill Johnson of Ohio’s 6th Congressional District

Rep. John Joyce of Pennsylvania’s 13th Congressional District

Rep. Fred Keller of Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District

Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania’s 16th Congressional District

Rep. Trent Kelly of Mississippi’s 1st Congressional District

Rep. Steve King of Iowa’s 4th Congressional District

Rep. David Kustoff of Tennessee’s 8th Congressional District

Rep. Darin LaHood of Illinois’s 18th Congressional District

Rep. Doug LaMalfa of California’s 1st Congressional District

Rep. Doug Lamborn of Colorado’s 5th Congressional District

Rep. Robert E. Latta of Ohio’s 5th Congressional District

Rep. Debbie Lesko of Arizona’s 8th Congressional District

Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer of Missouri’s 3rd Congressional District

Rep. Kenny Marchant of Texas’s 24th Congressional District

Rep. Roger Marshall of Kansas’s 1st Congressional District

Rep. Tom McClintock of California’s 4th Congressional District

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington’s 5th Congressional District

Rep. Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania’s 9th Congressional District

Rep. Carol D. Miller of West Virginia’s 3rd Congressional District

Rep. John Moolenaar of Michigan’s 4th Congressional District

Rep. Alex X. Mooney of West Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District

Rep. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma’s 2nd Congressional District

Rep. Gregory Murphy of North Carolina’s 3rd Congressional District

Rep. Dan Newhouse of Washington’s 4th Congressional District

Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina’s 5th Congressional District

Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District

Rep. Guy Reschenthaler of Pennsylvania’s 14th Congressional District

Rep. Tom Rice of South Carolina’s 7th Congressional District

Rep. John Rose of Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District

Rep. David Rouzer of North Carolina’s 7th Congressional District

Rep. John Rutherford of Florida’s 4th Congressional District

Rep. Austin Scott of Georgia’s 8th Congressional District

Rep. Mike Simpson of Idaho’s 2nd Congressional District

Rep. Adrian Smith of Nebraska’s 3rd Congressional District

Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri’s 8th Congressional District

Rep. Ross Spano of Florida’s 15th Congressional District

Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York’s 21st Congressional District

Rep. Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania’s 15th Congressional District

Rep. Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District

Rep. William Timmons of South Carolina’s 4th Congressional District

Rep. Ann Wagner of Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District

Rep. Tim Walberg of Michigan’s 7th Congressional District

Rep. Michael Waltz of Florida’s 6th Congressional District

Rep. Randy Weber of Texas’s 14th Congressional District

Rep. Daniel Webster of Florida’s 11th Congressional District

Rep. Brad Wenstrup of Ohio’s 2nd Congressional District

Rep. Bruce Westerman of Arkansas’s 4th Congressional District

Rep. Roger Williams of Texas’s 25th Congressional District

Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina’s 2nd Congressional District

Rep. Rob Wittman of Virginia’s 1st Congressional District

Rep. Ron Wright of Texas’s 6th Congressional District

Rep. Ted S. Yoho of Florida’s 3rd Congressional District

Rep. Lee Zeldin of New York’s 1st Congressional District

Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California’s 23rd Congressional District

Rep. Robert Aderholt of Alabama’s 4th Congressional District

Rep. Jodey Arrington of Texas’s 19th Congressional District

Rep. Brian Babin of Texas’s 36th Congressional District

Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia’s 9th Congressional District

Rep. Scott DesJarlais of Tennessee’s 4th Congressional District

Rep. Morgan Griffith of Virginia’s 9th Congressional District

Rep. Jim Hagedorn of Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District

Rep. Jody Hice of Georgia’s 10th Congressional District

Rep. Billy Long of Missouri’s 7th Congressional District

Rep. Barry Loudermilk of Georgia’s 11th Congressional District

Rep. Steven Palazzo of Mississippi’s 4th Congressional District

Rep. Greg Pence of Indiana’s 6th Congressional District

Rep. Bill Posey of Florida’s 8th Congressional District

Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama’s 3rd Congressional District

Rep. Pete Stauber of Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District

Rep. W. Gregory Steube of Florida’s 17th Congressional District

Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District

Rep. Mark Walker of North Carolina’s 6th Congressional District

Rep. Jackie Walorski of Indiana’s 2nd Congressional District

Steamboy (2015)

There are a lot of pluses and minuses that come about when you live in a household with a widely varied taste in film, and sometimes you end up with a steam punk anime film that you most certainly would not have picked out. 

This is a noisy, eventful and in my mind pretty unsuccessful venture into Victorian-era science fiction, animated by a modern Japanese master, of Akira fame Katsuhiro Otomo. It's like H. G. Wells and Jules Vernes strangely modern yet dated space age ideas meet anime.  The story follows three generations of a British family involved in a technological breakthrough involving steam, which the movie considers the 19th-century equivalent of nuclear power. There may be possibilities here, but they're lost in the extraordinary boredom of a long third act devoted almost entirely to loud, pointless and repetitive action.  The bottom line is that there are bad guys and worse guys, and sometimes they shift as the movie grinds to a destructive end.  The animation in incredible.
 

Beef Empanadas

It is the Jewish Festival of Light, with the subtitle that we celebrate the miracle of oil by frying up some things.  The one thing that we really learned to do during the pandemic is how to fry foods.  We did so without even breaking out the little counter top fryer that we have, which would likely make setting a temperature and keeping it easier, but such is a time when one has nothing to do but learn in the kitchen, and hope that the food is spectacular, or at least edible.  This year my spouse made these empanadas and I really loved them. Note that the dough can be a bit sticky to work with.

For the empanada dough:

• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 ½ cups/575 grams all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
• 1 cup/225 grams unsalted butter (2 sticks), diced
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• ⅔ cup ice water

For the filling:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• ½ large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• ½ large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• ½ medium russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-centimeter cubes (about 1/2 cup)
• ¼ cup raisins
• ¾ pound ground beef
• 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• ½ cup chicken stock
• 1 (48-ounce) bottle neutral oil, such as canola, for frying

1. Prepare the empanada dough: In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In a large bowl, combine the flour and 1 tablespoon salt, and mix well. Add the butter and incorporate it into the flour using your hands or a food processor. Combine until mixture is sandy. Combine the egg mixture, vinegar and 2/3 cup ice water, whisking to break up the egg. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, and beat with a fork to bring dough together.
2. Sprinkle a light layer of flour over a work surface. Place the dough on top. Bring dough together by pressing and folding dough onto itself a few times with the palms of your hands. Being careful not to overwork, split dough in half and form into two equal logs about the thickness of a small sausage, 1 1/2- to 2-inches thick. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
3. While the dough rests, prepare the filling: In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high and bring to a shimmer. Add the tomato paste and toast, stirring frequently, until darkened and caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add the onion, bell peppers, garlic, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the potato and raisins, and cook, stirring, until mixture starts to caramelize, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the beef, increase the temperature to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir in oyster sauce and soy sauce until coated, then stir in chicken stock. (Mixture should be glossy but not overtly wet; cook for another 5 minutes or so to reduce liquid, if need be.) Transfer to a sheet pan, dispersing in a thin layer, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 20 minutes.
6. Fill a small bowl with some cool water for sealing your empanadas, and another small bowl with flour for dusting. Working with one log at a time, remove dough from fridge. Cut each log in half crosswise, then cut each half crosswise into 10 equal pieces, which will be the shape of thick coins. Using a bit of flour, dust your work surface. Round each coin slightly using your thumb and forefinger and on your surface with your hands press each coin lightly to coax it into a flat round shape. Switch to a rolling pin and roll each piece of empanada dough into a 4 1/2-inch circle. You can lightly dust and stack your circles off to the side or transfer them to a parchment lined baking sheet and chill until you are ready to assemble (they are easier to work with when kept cool). Repeat with remaining log. When you have all your pieces rolled out, you are ready to assemble your empanadas. Place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the meat filling in the center of each circle, leaving at least a 1/2-inch border. Using a brush or your finger, wet the edges of the dough with water and fold the crust over the filling, forming half-moon empanada shapes, sealing out as much air as possible. Crimp the edges of the empanada with the tines of a fork to seal.
7. In a large heavy Dutch oven or pot, heat about 2 inches of oil over medium-high. Heat oil to 365 degrees. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, maintaining an even heat, fry the empanadas, turning frequently, until they start to bob, 4 to 5 minutes. (They should be crisp and golden brown, the pastry should be cooked through and the meat should be warmed through.) Transfer to a paper-towel lined baking sheet and fry remaining empanadas. Serve warm.

 

This Mournable Body by Tsitsi Dangarembga

I read this because it was long listed for the Booker Prize and my library had it.  These have been interesting times in my reading career, having been unable to enter a library to browse since February.  So what is on the shelves, what I can put a hold on, has become a key in my choices.

This is a book that is in a way a sequel, but separated by many years.  The young Tambu who was a young girl growing up in British occupied Rhodesia in the author's first book is now a woman in her late 30's struggling to survive in Zimbabwe.  As the novel opens, she is being pushed out of a hostel for young women by the matron because she has aged out. It was a sheltered place in which young women find their wings, but now she must be nudged into precarious flight.

Her uncertain journey takes place in the city of Harare, in late 1990s Zimbabwe, when the young country was also beginning to flounder with corruption.  Educated but unemployed, Tambu sees other women as adversaries in a game of success she cannot win.  She is focused on the wrong enemy from start to finish, no matter what she does.  It is heartbreaking and familiar.

 

Salt of the Earth (2015)

Wim Wenders is not one to shy away from difficult subjects as a film maker, and this is no exception.  In this documentary he trains his camera on photographer Sebastiao Salgado and the result is an invigorating and interesting observation of the man, his work and the entire medium of photography.
Salgado originally studied economics and worked for the World Bank in France after being exiled from his home country in 1969, before deciding to give it all up in order to pursue a career in photography. After his first major project, a photographic chronicle of South America, he began a series of expansive projects in which he used his keen eye and ability to create striking images to create works that allowed viewers to bear witness to glimmers of hope and humanity in the face of almost unimaginable misery. There are quite a few dead bodies in his work, which is wide ranging but largely man's inhumanity to man are laid out, from the refugee camps in Ethiopia to the massacre in Rwanda, and the war in the former Yugoslavia.  He then turned his attention to beauty across the globe as a means of healing after bearing witness to atrocities for decades.  He has an incredible eye, and the film is a testament to the power of visual imagery to begin to tell a story. 

Al Pastor Tacos

These are from the Food Lab, and like any Kenji recipes, these are not done the easy way, but rather the flavor driven way.  My spouse made them in a period after having a tooth pulled and I was having a lot of trouble eating a lot of different kinds of foods, and I was at best skeptical of this, but it was simply the best al pastor I have had, certainly in the town that I live in, and it is deeply comforting and delicious.  Leave yourself days to complete this task.

• For the Pork:
• 2 whole ancho chilies, seeds and stems removed
• 2 whole pasilla or guajillo chilies, seeds and stems removed
• 1/2 cup homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried ground cumin seed
• 1 tablespoon achiote powder or paste
• 1 chipotle chili packed in adobo sauce, plus 2 teaspoons sauce from can
• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• 3 whole cloves garlic
• 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 pounds boneless blade-end loin or sirloin pork roast
• 8 ounces (1/2 pound) sliced bacon
•  
• To Finish and Serve:
• 1 small pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into quarters lengthwise
• corn tortillas
• 1 medium white onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup finely minced fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
• 3 to 4 limes, cut into 8 wedges each for serving
• Avocadoes
  

Directions

1. Place chilies in a large saucepan over medium high heat and cook, turning chilies occasionally, until puffed, pliable, lightly browned in spots, and very aromatic, about 5 minutes. Add chicken stock (it should boil immediately), then pour contents of pan into a small bowl. Cover loosely and set aside.
2. Wipe out saucepan, add oil, and return to medium-high heat until oil is shimmering. Add cumin, oregano, and achiote and cook, stirring frequently, untila aromatic but not browned, about 30 seconds. Add chipotle chilies and sauce and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds longer. Add vinegar, salt, and sugar and remove from heat.
3. Scrape contents of saucepan into a blender along with garlic and chilies with their soaking liquid. Blend on high speed until completely smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides as necessary. Set sauce aside to cool slightly.
4. Using a very sharp chef's knife or slicing knife, slice the meat as thin as possible. If necessary, place meat in freezer for 15 minutes to firm it up. Split the sides of a heavy duty zipper-lock bag. Place one slice of meat inside bag and pound with the bottom of a heavy 8-inch skillet or a meat pounder until less than 1/4-inch thick. Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with remaining meat.
5. Add marinade to bowl and toss with hands until every piece of meat is evenly coated in marinade.
6. Line the bottom of a disposable aluminum loaf pan with bacon. Add a layer of thin-sliced marinated meat. Continue layering in bacon and meat until all the meat is used up. (It may pile above the pan a little bit. This is ok.) Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 36.
7. To cook indoors: preheat the oven to 275°F. Uncover aluminum loaf pan and place on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to oven and cook until meat is completely tender (It will drip lots of fat), about 4 hours. Remove from oven, allow to cool slightly, cover with aluminum foil, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
8. To cook outdoors (which I did not): light half a chimney of charcoal and allow to preheat until coals are mostly covered in gray ash. Spread out under one half of coal grate, and place cooking grate on top. Alternatively, set one set of burners on a gas grill to low and leave the remaining burners off. Unwrap aluminum loaf pan and place directly over cooler side of grill, placing a drip pan underneath if desired. Cover grill and cook until loaf registers 180 to 190°F in the center, about 4 hours, adding more coals to grill or adjusting burners as necessary to maintain an air temperature of around 275°F for the duration of cooking. Remove from grill, allow to cool slightly, cover with aluminum foil, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
9. To Serve: Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove cooked meat from aluminum tray, scraping off any fat or jellied juices from its sides. Use a spoon to collect fat and juices from tray, reserving each separately. Using a sharp chef's knife or slicing knife, slice meat as thinly as possible to create fine shavings of meat and fat. Transfer to a bowl.
10. If fat from meat is solid, heat gently in the microwave or in the oven until melted. Transfer pineapple pieces to a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Brush with fat. Transfer to oven and roast until completely tender, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
11. About 10 minutes before pineapple is done roasting, transfer meat and 1 tablespoon of fat to a large cast iron or non-stick skillet. Heat over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until meat crisps and deeply browns in spots. Add any reserved juices and toss to combine, allowing it to cook until reduced to a moist glaze. Transfer meat to a warmed serving bowl.
12. Chop roasted pineapple into large chunks. Serve meat and pineapple immediately with warmed tortillas, onions, cilantro, salsa, and lime wedges. Meat will be very moist and should be packed into double-stacked tortillas for serving.

 

Land Ho! (2014)

There are a lot of cringe worthy moments in this movie, but in the end I was glad that I had watched it, and I also loved that I got to see some of the incredible beauty of Iceland once again.
The story itself is about two characters, one that you could bear to be with and one that you most decidedly could not.  Mitch is an aging surgeon who turns up at his newly-ex-brother-in-law Colin’s house one fine afternoon, ostensibly to cheer Colin up.  Mitch is a good old boy--affable, unapologetically sexist, and a controller. He’s the kind of good time that can drive a less exuberant person a little nuts.  Colin is yin to his yang, and while the two do not change one iota as the movie progresses, you can see that this is a way for people who are very different to co-exist.  Mitch needs to talk less and Colin needs to say no more often, but while very different, they can manage to get along.  Mitch is struggling with a life event, and Colin is who he turned to.  It is a strange mix of quiet and loud that ends up working pretty well.

Smoky Jalapeño Bread

We have been back at watching the Great British Bake Off, since two seasons had passed since we last caught up with it, and since we are in the worst part of the pandemic to date where we live, we are looking for stay at home diversions rather than deep brainy fare.  This recipe comes from that, and is really very good.  It is a tear apart bread, or a tear and share, and it is really fun flavors and delicious.

For the smoky seasoning:

1 tbsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp + 1 tsp tomato powder

1 tsp onion granules

1 tsp garlic granules

¼ tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried chives

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

¼ tsp caster sugar

For the dough:

450g strong white bread flour

7g fast-action dried yeast

1¼ tsp salt

1½ tsp caster sugar

2 tbsp smoky seasoning (see above)

30ml olive oil

40g red pepper,  diced

20g jalapeños, diced, 1 whole slice reserved for garnish

1 egg, beaten

40g mature Cheddar cheese, grated

100g red Leicester cheese, grated

2 spring onions, finely chopped

handful of chopped coriander, to garnish

For the smoky BBQ dipping sauce:

1½ tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, crushed

100g tomato ketchup

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp dark sugar

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp ground cayenne pepper

Step 1
Mix all the ingredients for the smoky seasoning together in a bow and set aside.

Step 2
Make the dough. Place the flour in a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add the yeast, salt, sugar smoky seasoning, olive oil and 280ml of hand-hot water (you may need an extra 2 tablespoons of water if the dough looks too dry). Mix for 4–5 minutes on a low speed, then increase to medium for 2 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Turn out into the lightly greased bowl and leave in a warm place or proving drawer to rise for 1–1½ hours, or until doubled in size.

Step 3
Meanwhile place the diced peppers and jalapeños on a sheet of kitchen paper to absorb any moisture.

Step 4
Make the BBQ Dipping Sauce. Heat the oil in a medium pan on a low heat. Add the garlic and fry very gently for 30 seconds, then add remaining ingredients and 2 tablespoons of water. Increase the heat to high and stir for 5 minutes, until thickened and infused. Set aside to cool.

Step 5
When the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly. Cut it in half. Roll out one half to a circle just over 30cm in diameter. Cut away the edges using a pizza cutter so you have a neat circle and lift the disc onto a sheet of baking paper.

Step 6
Use the beaten egg to brush a 2cm border around the edge of the dough (reserve the remaining egg). Spread the grated cheeses (reserving a handful for the garnish), peppers, jalapeños and spring onions evenly across the circle, avoiding the eggy border.

Step 7
Roll out the second piece of dough in the same way and lift with a rolling pin over the first disc. Press the edges together to seal in the filling, trimming as necessary.

Step 8
Place a 5cm biscuit cutter in the middle of the dough without pressing down. Using a long knife, pizza cutter or oiled scissors, cut the dough into 8 equal wedges, cutting from the outside edge up to the central circle (cut into quarter wedges first, then each quarter into half).

Step 9
Without tearing the bread, lift each segment, twist it twice round on itself and place it back down. Using scissors, snip the right corner off each segment. Carefully transfer the loaf to the baking tray, brush all over with beaten egg and sprinkle over the reserved cheese. Finish with a jalapeño slice in the middle. Leave to prove in an oiled bag somewhere warm or in a proving drawer for 20–30 minutes, or until doubled in size. Heat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/Gas 7.

Step 10
Bake the loaf for 20 minutes, rotating the tray half way through the cooking time (it will catch if you don’t rotate, as the loaf is large). Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with the BBQ sauce alongside for dipping.