12 chervil recipes

Flaky puff pastry pinwheels filled with sauteed mushrooms, Parmesan, and chervil. A make-ahead appetizer you can prep days in advance and bake fresh for any gathering.

Lobster steamed over fresh herbs and white vermouth, served with an emulsified watercress dressing and julienned peppers and tomato. An elegant, garden-fresh seafood platter.

Spanish gazpacho mashes ripe tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and garlic with olive oil and lemon for a chilled no-cook summer soup. Five fresh herbs make it sing.

Andalusian gazpacho with 3 pounds of fresh tomatoes, bread, garlic, olive oil, and white wine vinegar, served ice-cold with a spread of diced vegetable garnishes. No cooking required.

Fall salad: crisp bitter greens with sweet sliced pears, toasted walnuts, and crumbled Gorgonzola in a walnut-oil vinaigrette. An elegant autumn salad balancing sweet, bitter, and savory.

Leek, asparagus and herb soup pureed with potatoes, chives, parsley, dill, and chervil into a silky spring-green soup. Finished with lemon and a dollop of yogurt. Lighter than cream-based soups but just as satisfying.

Chicken liver mousse baked in ramekins with shallots, thyme, garlic, and cream, unmolded and served with fresh tomato sauce and herb garnishes. A French restaurant classic, home-kitchen achievable.

Black-eyed pea and crab salad with bacon, roasted peppers, and fresh herbs in a bright vinaigrette. A Stephan Pyles-style Southwestern recipe served on gorditas or crisp tortillas.

Spring artichoke hearts, tender leeks, and sweet peas simmer into light herbed soup brightened with mint, parsley, and a drizzle of Parmesan-topped olive oil.

Cream of pumpkin soup with fresh or canned pumpkin pureed with onions, celery, garlic, and thyme, finished with cottage cheese for silky body. Lighter take on a Thanksgiving classic.

Red snapper a la Mexicaine with seared fillets baked in fresh tomatoes and herbs, finished with a creamy avocado sauce spiked with lime and Tabasco. French-Mexican fusion at its finest.

The key to the subtly balanced flavors in this dish is using very fresh produce. Walnut sized new red potatoes from a farmers market work best.