This vegetarian soup is included in a cookbook that was inspired by Jim Haynes' Sunday night dinners in Paris. In France, Jim Haynes writes on his Web site, spicy foods are not very well received, so hot peppers are served on the side.

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 pound onions, diced
• 1/2 pound carrots, diced
• 1/2 pound celery, diced
• 2 ounces garlic, chopped
• 3/4 pound dried black beans
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 cup port wine
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
• Salt and pepper
• 3 limes cut into small wedges
• Bottled hot sauce or 1 can of jalapenos, chopped

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrots, celery and garlic and saute until softened but not browned.

Mix in beans and spices. Add water to cover by about 2 inches and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until beans are tender, stirring occasionally, about 2 1/2 hours, adding more water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper.

For a smooth soup, puree the beans in a blender or food processor.

Reheat, stirring and add the port wine, and one bunch of cilantro. Thin the soup with water if it is too thick. Bring just to the boil and simmer a few minutes. Add the cream. Check the seasoning, adding more salt if necessary.

Bring soup to simmer and serve with separate bowls of lime wedges and jalapenos or hot sauce. Can be prepared ahead, if kept refrigerated.

Serves 25.

-- "Throw a Great Party: Inspired by Evenings in Paris with Jim Haynes" by Mary Bartlett (iUniverse, $16.95)

• 8 Fuji apples, peeled and rough chopped
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon, divided
• 2 tablespoons nutmeg, divided
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar, divided
• 11/2 cups dried cranberries
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, rough chopped
• 5 cloves minced fresh garlic, divided
• 4-pound roaster pork loin (not tenderloin)
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• Cracked pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 cups apple cider (not apple juice)
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 14-ounce can whole-berry cranberry sauce

Peel and rough chop apples

Toss apples with 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon nutmeg, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, dried cranberries, 1/2 of the chopped rosemary and 2 minced garlic cloves. Set aside.

Place pork loin in roaster pan, fat side down. Cutting lengthwise across the entire loin, create a cavity in which to stuff with apple mixture. Be sure not to cut loin into two halves.

Once cut, stuff as much apple mixture into the cavity as possible. Reserve remaining apple mixture for later.

Tie pork loin with cotton cooking twine (3 or 4 ties is sufficient). Sprinkle loin with kosher salt and cracked pepper. Dust exterior of loin with remaining cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar, rosemary, minced garlic and cloves. Scatter remaining apple mixture evenly around loin in roaster pan.

Pour apple cider and chicken stock in roaster pan until it comes half way up sides of loin. Cover with foil and place in 375-degree oven for 5 hours or until the meat is tender and moist and comes apart with a fork.

Let meat rest covered for 15 minutes after it comes out of oven.

Top with whole-berry cranberry sauce.

Serves 8 to 12.

-- Dave LeFebvre, Mt. Lebanon

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