Slow Food Chicago wants to share some of our favorite soup recipes with you! If you made it to our Soup & Bread takeover at The Hideout last month some of these soups may be familiar.

We hope the soups bring you comfort and warmth during this stressful time.

Borscht, hot and vegetarian from ALI COLE

Adapted from NYTimes recipe

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or unsalted butter

1 large onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

Salt and pepper

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon caraway seeds

1 bay leaf

1 thyme sprig

1 pound Yukon Gold or other starchy potatoes (about 6 potatoes), peeled and cut in 1-inch chunks

1 pound medium beets (about 6 beets), peeled and cut in 1-inch chunks

½ pound medium carrots (about 4 carrots), peeled and cut in 1-inch chunks

3 cups chopped kale

1 tablespoon apple-cider vinegar

Chopped dill, parsley, tarragon, and chives with creme fraiche for garnish

Put olive oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add onion, stir to coat, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring, until onion has softened and just begun to brown. Add garlic, tomato paste, paprika, caraway, bay leaf and thyme, and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add potatoes, beets and carrots, 6 cups water and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a brisk simmer. Simmer with lid ajar for 20 minutes, or until potatoes, beets and carrots are fork tender. Add kale and vinegar, and stir to distribute. Taste broth and adjust seasoning. Simmer until kale is done, about 8 minutes. To serve, ladle into soup bowls, and garnish with chopped dill, parsley, tarragon and chives and creme fraiche.

Curried Red Lentil Tomato Soup from MOLLY SCHEMPER

Adapted from Bon Appetit recipe

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 oz cauliflower

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 2½-inch piece galangal or ginger, peeled, finely grated

1 tablespoon homemade curry powder (see recipe below)

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 cup red lentils

1 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes

4 cups vegetable stock

½ cup finely chopped cilantro, plus leaves with tender stems for serving

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

12-ounce homemade coconut milk* (see recipe below)

Prep: Toss cauliflower in olive oil & salt, roast in 375 degree oven until browned. In the meantime, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium. Cook onion, stirring often, until softened and golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Add garlic, galangal, curry powder, red pepper flakes, and a generous pinch of salt, cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add lentils and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add tomatoes, ½ cup cilantro, roasted cauliflower, and a generous pinch of salt, and stock; season with pepper. Add coconut milk to saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until lentils are soft but not mushy, 20–25 minutes. Put all cauliflower and 1/3-1/2 of the soup in a blender with the top opened to let steam escape; cover the top loosely with a towel and blend until completely smooth. Add blended soup back into the pot with "chunky" soup to create a creamier soup, season with more salt and pepper if needed. To serve, divide soup among bowls. Serve with lime wedges and cilantro leaves, if desired.

CURRY RECIPE

2 tablespoons turmeric

1 teaspoon coriander, whole

2 teaspoons cumin, seeds or ground

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon fenugreek, ground

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, ground

1/4 teaspoon cayenne, ground

Put all spiced in a small, dry saucepan over medium low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes until spices are aromatic and lightly darkened. Remove from heat and place in a spice or coffee grinder. Grind until coriander and cumin seeds, if used, are completely powder. Use in recipe above and save the rest.

COCONUT MILK RECIPE *this is definitely the labor intensive slow food way, but please feel free to buy coconut milk

1 whole coconut

Poke the eyes of the coconut and drain the water (I usually put it through a strainer to remove any shell bits that got in it). Roast coconut in a 400 degree oven until shell cracks in a couple places (about 10-15 minutes). Remove and place in a large towel, hit with a hammer or meat mallet to crack the rest of the way. Remove the coconut meat from the hard shell and compost the shell. Peel the brown "skin" off the coconut meat and shred (can do in a food processor or grater). Once grated, place coconut meat, coconut water, and 8-10 ounces of water (depending on how much coconut water you got…you want a total of about 12 oz of liquid) in a blender. Blend on high until coconut is completely desiccated, place blender in the fridge over night. In the morning, remove the pour mixer through a fine strainer to remove coconut solids. Ta da - coconut milk. (the used coconut can be used in smoothies or dried and used in baked goods, but you've removed a lot of the flavor so you can also just compost it).

Tomato Dill Soup from KATIE JOHNSON

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 cup chopped Leeks (~2 leeks)

2 cups Yellow or White Onions (~2-3 onions)

4 (28-ounce) Cans San Marzano Tomatoes (and their juices), roughly chopped

4 1/2 cups Vegetable Stock

1/2 cup (6 tablespoons) Fresh Dill, chopped

1/4 teaspoon + (to taste) Cayenne Pepper (I swapped for some Piment d'ville Red Chile Pepper Powder from the Foodocracy Slow Food/Ark of Taste Box!)

1 teaspoon Salt, more to taste

Optional Toppings & Mix-Ins

Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt

Chopped Dill

Harissa

Cheddar Cheese Crisps* (*Recipe Follows)

Bread or a Grilled Cheese Sammie for Dunking

Heat olive oil in large, heavy pot and heat over medium. Once hot, add leeks and onions. Cook while stirring until soft and translucent, ~3-6 minutes. Add tomatoes and juices, stock, chopped dill, cayenne (or Chile pepper powder) , and salt. Bring mixture to a simmer. Cook uncovered until tomatoes are soft, about 20-30 minutes. Puree the soup in batches with a food processor or blender (or use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the pot). Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. (Can be made ahead and reheated!)

For the Cheese Crisps: Preheat oven to 425. Shred 1 cup of white cheddar (of your choice) with a grater. Drop tablespoon-sized mounds of cheese onto a sheet tray lined with a silpat, spacing about 1-inch apart. Sprinkle mounds with cayenne (or Chile) pepper. Bake for 6-10 minutes. Watch them carefully - you want the cheese to melt and bubble but not brown (except maybe a bit on the edges). Remove from oven, let cool on baking sheet and serve! Serves ~6-10

Vegan Carrot Ginger Soup from CLAIRE JOHNSON

INGREDIENTS

Grapeseed oil

2 pounds fresh carrots

2 tablesppons fresh ginger (or more if you like it spicy!)

4 cloves garlic

1 yellow onion

4 cups vegetable broth

1 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/2 crushed red pepper (optional)

2 bay leaves

1 can full fat coconut milk

1-2 tablespoon lime juice

Salt & pepper

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat, add onions and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add carrots, thyme, coriander, red pepper and sauté for 3-5 minutes. Add broth, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Turn up head and bring everything to a boil, then reduce and heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 20-30 minutes until carrots are tender. Remove bay leaves blend with immersion blender regular blender. Add coconut milk and blend until completely smooth. Taste and add more salt and seasoning as needed. Yields 9-10 cups. Top with swirled coconut milk, fresh cilantro, vegan sour cream, cracked pepper, squeeze of lemon or lime.