Friday night dinners at home

Growing up we always had Friday dinners at home and it was my favorite night of the week. My mother went to the beauty parlor for her weekly visit and my father and I ate home alone. He could make all the great things my mother wouldn't eat - spaghetti with white clam sauce, smelly cheeses, squid, octopus and snails. We observed the traditional "Friday fish" meals despite the changing rules. My mother would not eat anything made with olive oil or any smelly cheese (including Parmagian!) or "disgusting" foods. This seemed to be related to her Jewish upbringing and her unfamiliarity with some of the things my father enjoyed eating. However, she adapted to, and loved, shrimp, lobster, pork,(especially bacon) and sausage.

Later, when she was "promoted" to a Saturday afternoon appointment we switched our routine and went to the local Chinese restaurant for "Chinks". While the meals were delicious, I missed my Friday dinners with my father.

Recently, Chris has initiated Friday meals at home. We have a simple, and healthy, meal of soup and a salad and combine it with the latest 'DVD' from 'Netflix". Although, I initially agreed with some reservation, it has turned out to be a great success. Chris is always on the lookout for new soup recipes and makes something different every week. Our latest favorites have been a French lentil soup and a version of hot and sour soup that was definitely 'hot and sour'. Check out recipes on the website and definitely pass along any of your favourites.

Recipes from Cooks Illustrated

Hearty Lentil Soup with Fragrant Spices

Lentils du Puy, sometimes called French green lentils, are our first choice for this recipe, but brown, black, or regular green lentils are fine, too. Note that cooking times will vary depending on the type of lentils used. Lentils lose flavor with age, and because most packaged lentils do not have expiration dates, try to buy them from a store that specializes in natural foods and grains. Before use, rinse and then carefully sort through the lentils to remove small stones and pebbles. The soup can be made in advance. After adding the lemon juice in step 2, cool the soup to room temperature and refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To serve, heat it over medium-low until hot, then stir in the parsley.

Makes about 2 quarts, serving 4 to 6

3	slices bacon (about 3 ounces), cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1	large onion , chopped fine (about 1 1/2 cups)
2	medium carrots , peeled and chopped medium (about 1 cup)
3	medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1	teaspoon ground cumin
1	teaspoon ground coriander
1	teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4	teaspoon cayenne pepper
1	can diced tomatoes (14 1/2 ounces), drained
1	bay leaf
1	teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1	cup lentils (7 ounces), rinsed and picked over
1	teaspoon table salt
	ground black pepper
1/2	cup dry white wine
4 1/2	cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2	cups water
1 1/2	teaspoons lemon juice
3	tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves

1. Fry bacon in large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Add onion and carrots; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cayenne; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, bay leaf, and thyme; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in lentils, salt, and pepper to taste; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until vegetables are softened and lentils have darkened, 8 to 10 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to high, add wine, and bring to simmer. Add chicken broth and water; bring to boil, cover partially, and reduce heat to low. Simmer until lentils are tender but still hold their shape, 30 to 35 minutes; discard bay leaf.

2. Puree 3 cups soup in blender until smooth, then return to pot; stir in lemon juice and heat soup over medium-low until hot, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons cilantro and serve, garnishing each bowl with some of remaining cilantro.

Hot and Sour Soup

To make slicing the pork chop easier, freeze it for 15 minutes. We prefer the distinctive flavor of Chinese black vinegar; look for it in Asian supermarkets. If you can't find it, a combination of red wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar approximates its flavor. This soup is very spicy. For a less spicy soup, omit the chili oil altogether or add only 1 teaspoon.

Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer

7	ounces extra-firm tofu , drained
4	tablespoons soy sauce
1	teaspoon toasted sesame oil
3	tablespoons cornstarch , plus an additional 1 1/2 teaspoons
1	boneless, center-cut, pork loin chop (1/2 inch thick, about 6 ounces), trimmed of fat and cut into 1 inch by 1/8-inch matchsticks
3	tablespoons cold water , plus 1 additional teaspoon
1	large egg
6	cups low-sodium chicken broth
1	cup bamboo shoots (from one 5-ounce can), sliced lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick strips
4	ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms , stems removed, caps sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 1 cup)
5	tablespoons black Chinese vinegar or 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar plus 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (see note above)
2	teaspoons chili oil (see note above)
1	teaspoon ground white pepper
3	medium scallions , sliced thin

1. Place tofu in pie plate and set heavy plate on top. Weight with 2 heavy cans; let stand at least 15 minutes (tofu should release about 1/2 cup liquid). Whisk 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch in medium bowl; toss pork with marinade and set aside for at least 10 minutes (but no more than 30 minutes).

2. Combine 3 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water in small bowl and mix thoroughly; set aside, leaving spoon in bowl. Mix remaining 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch with remaining 1 teaspoon water in small bowl; add egg and beat with fork until combined. Set aside.

3. Bring broth to boil in large saucepan set over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; add bamboo shoots and mushrooms and simmer until mushrooms are just tender, about 5 minutes. While broth simmers, dice tofu into 1/2-inch cubes. Add tofu and pork, including marinade, to soup, stirring to separate any pieces of pork that stick together. Continue to simmer until pork is no longer pink, about 2 minutes.

4. Stir cornstarch mixture to recombine. Add to soup and increase heat to medium-high; cook, stirring occasionally, until soup thickens and turns translucent, about 1 minute. Stir in vinegar, chili oil, pepper, and remaining 3 tablespoons soy sauce; turn off heat.

5. Without stirring soup, use soupspoon to slowly drizzle very thin streams of egg mixture into pot in circular motion. Let soup sit 1 minute, then return saucepan to medium-high heat. Bring soup to gentle boil, then immediately remove from heat. Gently stir soup once to evenly distribute egg; ladle into bowls and top with scallions.