My friend Sam arrived from New Orleans on Friday night and, instead of unpacking or asking what we had planned for the weekend, immediately got to work making soup.

Not just any soup, though. The “Fancy Soup.”

Now, before you picture something fussy or cheffy or something requiring a trip to a specialty New Orleans grocery store, let me be clear: Sam’s soup is only fancy in flavor, not in effort. This is not a recipe that demands perfect knife skills or an afternoon of hovering over the stove. It’s the kind of dish that tastes like you worked harder than you did, which, frankly, is my favorite kind of cooking.

The timing couldn’t have been better. After weeks (didn’t it feel like months?) of hot, steamy, humid weather that made the idea of soup feel almost disrespectful, Columbus is finally getting a slight dip in temperature. It’s almost the kind of cold that makes you want something warm, rich and spoonable. The kind of cold where soup sorta makes sense again. And maybe in the next few days we could even see some frost on the ground, but I don’t want to jinx us.

Anyways, Sam’s soup felt especially on theme because she used a fleur-de-lis-shaped pasta – very New Orleans of her – which immediately elevated the whole situation. Suddenly this wasn’t just soup; it was Fancy Soup. The kind you could serve to guests without apologizing, but still happily eat in sweatpants.

The base is a classic lineup – onion, carrot and celery – with a parsnip thrown in for a little sweetness. Tomato paste gives it depth, sun-dried tomatoes add richness, and a splash of white wine deglazes the pot and makes you feel like you know what you’re doing. Cream pulls everything together at the end, turning it into something warm, cozy and just indulgent enough.

By the time the chicken went back into the pot and the pasta followed, the whole kitchen smelled like the answer to cold weather. We topped our bowls with fresh herbs and a generous snowfall of Parmesan and ate it standing at the counter with our friends, which is often how the best meals happen.

So yes, this is fancy soup. But it’s also easy soup. It’s weeknight soup. It’s “oh thank goodness it’s finally a little cold around here” soup. And if winter is going to tease us by coming and going, I say we keep a pot like this ready for whenever it decides to stick around.

SAM’S ‘FANCY SOUP’

Ingredients:
3 large carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 small parsnip, chopped
1/4 cup white wine
1 tablespoon butter
8 garlic cloves, minced
6 tablespoons tomato paste
1 chicken bouillon cube
6 cups water
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3/4 cup heavy cream
Fresh parsley, chopped
Fresh basil, chopped
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for topping
1/2 pound pasta of choice, cooked (small, thick noodles work best)
1 pound chicken, or 2 chicken breasts
1 tablespoon avocado oil
4 to 5 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 tablespoon oil from sun-dried tomatoes

Directions:
■ Slice chicken breasts in half and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. In a large pot, heat avocado oil over medium-high heat and cook chicken until cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove and chop into bite-size pieces.
■ In a separate pot, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
■ In the same pot used for the chicken, heat sun-dried tomato oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté about 1 minute. Pour in white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits.
■ Add celery, carrots and parsnip. Season lightly with salt and sauté about 5 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften.
■ Push vegetables aside and add butter and garlic. Cook about 1 minute, stirring to prevent burning.
■ Stir in tomato paste and cook until it deepens slightly in color. Add sun-dried tomatoes and bouillon cubes.
■ Pour in water and add Italian seasoning, dried parsley, oregano, basil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes.
■ Stir in heavy cream, cooked pasta, cooked chicken, fresh parsley, fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.
■ Serve warm with additional Parmesan, cracked pepper and fresh green onions on top.

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