Unlike Bouillabaisse, a traditional fancy fish stew in the Provençal region of southern France, this oven-baked fish with Provencal sauce is rather quick, easy to make, and tastes very delicious and Mediterranean.

• 700 g Skinless fish fillets (sea bass or red snapper)
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
  
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
  2 Shallots, finely sliced
  
• 1 clove Garlic, minced
  
• 1 tbsp Tomato paste
  
• 400 g Canned chopped tomatoes
  
• 120 ml White wine
  
• 1 Roasted bell pepper, thinly sliced
  
• 12 Olives, pitted and halved
  
• 1 tbsp Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Grease a baking dish with a little olive oil. Place fish in Season, cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes until just cooked through.
   
2. To prepare the sauce, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add sliced shallots and stir until it starts to soften, 1-2 minutes. Add garlic and stir briefly. Add tomato paste, tomatoes and white wine. Stir and cook for 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
   
3. Add in sliced roasted bell peppers and halved olives, taste and adjust the seasoning. Arrange the fish on serving plates and spoon the sauce over. Top with chopped parsley and serve with noodles or potatoes.

These delicious, moist tea cakes were named long ago by a pâtisserie near the Bourse, the Parisian stock exchange, who cleverly baked them in the shape of gold ingots to please their wealthy clientele. The basis of the cake butter, egg whites, powdered sugar and almond meal. While delicious on its own, the Financier can also be flavoured with seasonal fruits such as raspberries, peaches or pears. Financiers are often baked in the rectangular mould.

• 2 Pears, peeled and cut into 1cm dices
  
• 100 g Butter, melted
  
• 80 g Almond meal©angiesrecipes
  
• 40 g All-purpose flour
  
• 80 g Icing sugar
  
• Pinch of salt
  
• 1/2 tsp Almond extract
  
• 3 Egg whites, lightly beaten
  
• 1 tbsp Pistachio, chopped
  

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Thoroughly butter the financier moulds and place them in the freezer to resolidify the butter and make the financiers easier to unmould.
   
2. In a large bowl, combine the almond meal, flour, icing sugar and salt. Mix to blend. Fold in the lightly beaten egg whites, almond extract and melted butter.
   
3. Fill each mold almost to the rim and place some diced pears on top. Bake for 12 minutes or until the financiers have become light brown on top and are springy to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle the top with some chopped pistachio.

Chicken Cordon Bleu is a French-inspired poultry dish, although evidence suggests that Chicken Cordon Bleu was actually developed in the United States by chefs imitating other stuffed meat dishes from Europe. The name of the dish is clearly of French origin – Cordon Bleu means “blue ribbon” in French, and in French culinary tradition, the Cordon Bleu is awarded to food or chefs of particularly high quality. More information please check Wisegeek out.

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Combine the chicken broth, melted butter and minced garlic in a bowl. Set aside. In another bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and paprika.
   
2. Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and pound each to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt, pepper and oregano. Place a cheese and ham slice on each breast within 1/2 inch of the edges. Tuck in the sides of the breast and roll up tight like a jellyroll and secure with toothpicks.
   
3. Dip each roll in chicken broth mixture and dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place rolls, seam side down, in a baking dish coated with butter. Pour the remaining broth mixture over chicken. Bake in the preheated oven for 28 minutes or until golden crisp.

Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu

I am sending this post to participate the event Think Spice Think Poppy hosted by both Radhika Vasanth@Food for 7 Stages of Life and Sunita@Sunitabhuyan.
Poppy seed is used as an ingredient in many foods and to make poppyseed oil. The tiny kidney-shaped seeds are harvested from seed pods of the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum), and have been cultivated by various civilizations for thousands of years. They are used whole or ground, often as a topping or filling in various baked goods. Wikipedia

1. In a mixing bowl whisk together the finely ground almond, poppy and powdered sugar until completely blended. Line 3 baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In your stand mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the egg whites and pinch of salt until foamy, gradually add the sugar and continue beating until soft peaks appear.
   
3. Fold in the poppy mixture in two additions until your get a slow moving batter. Fill a pastry bag with the batter and pipe small amounts of batter 3 cm in diameter, 2 cm apart. Leave to rest for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 170C/340F and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and cool completely on rack. Spread the poppy fix on one shell and sandwich with another one.

Dating back to the 18th century, the macaron is a traditional French pastry, made of egg whites, almond powder, icing sugar and sugar. This sweet pastry came out of the French courts' baker's oven as round meringue-like domes with a flat base.
Macarons, also anglicized "macaroons", are not to be confused with a similar pastry also called macaroons. Macarons are sandwich-like pastries made with two thin cookies and a cream or ganache between the cookies. Macaroons are dense cookies made either with coconut or with a coarse almond paste.
Macarons come in a wide variety of flavors varying by store and season; ranging from traditional to exotic. Wikipedia

1. In a mixing bowl whisk together the ground hazelnut and powdered sugar until completely blended. Line 3 baking sheet with parchment paper.
   
2. In your stand mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the egg whites and pinch of salt until foamy, gradually add the sugar and continue beating until soft peaks appear.
3. Fold in the ground hazelnut mixture in two additions until your get a slow moving batter. Fill a pastry bag with the batter and pipe small amounts of batter 3 cm in diameter, 2 cm apart. Leave to rest for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 170C/340F and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and cool completelyt on rack. Spoon the filling on one shell and sandwich with another one.

Before starting the recipe, I want to address my appreciation to Heather aka girlichef for giving me this special award. Thank you! Heather, for your support, your hard work and your friendship! (p.s. the drawings on the stamp means "Thank You" in Chinese.)
A Biscuit Roulade, or Jelly Roll, is a type of form cake, which baked in a sheet pan and then rolled around a filling, like whipped cream, jam, peanut butter, nutella, or ganache.

1. Line a 40 x 30 cm rectangular baking tray with baking paper and lightly butter the paper. In the large bowl of the standing mixer, whip the egg whites and water at medium speed until frothy. Add the white vinegar, increase the speed to high, and continue beating until the whites form soft peaks. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, whip until they form stiff peaks.
2. Fold in egg yolks, one by one, until blended. Gradually sift in the cake flour, cornstarch, baking powder and vanilla powder. Quickly but gently fold to combine. Pour into the prepared pan and bake at 200C /400F for about 14 minutes until golden on top.
   
   
3. Let the cake rest in the tray for 1 minute. Flip it out onto a clean tea towel that was sprinkled with powdered sugar. Brush the paper lining with water and let soak 1 minute before peeling it off the cake. Trim dry edges from the cake if needed. Roll the cake up tightly with the towel, rolling away from you and cool on a rack 30 minutes or more.
4. Carefully unroll the cake and spread it with a thin layer of black currant jam and tightly re-roll the cake and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 2 hours before slicing. With a wire cake leveler, gently slice the cake roll and serve.

Crumble, buttery pastry crust with lemony custard, almond pastry cream (frangipane - FRAWN-zhee-pan )and topped with berries, brushed with berry glaze for a shiny finish. A ground almond cream filling or topping most often used for cakes, pastries or other sweets.

The name "Frangipane" has a very unusual origin. In the 16th century an Italian nobleman, Marquis Muzio Frangipani, created a perfume for scenting gloves. It was popular in Paris, and pastry cooks flavored pastry cream with almonds and called it 'frangipane', presumably to take advantage of the scents popularity.

1. To make the pastry crust, put the flour, almond meal, vanilla powder and butter in a large bowl. Rub them together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add in the rest of the ingredients and mix until you have a smooth dough. Wrap the dough with cling film and chill for 1 hour.
   
2. While the pastry chills, start preparing the custard by placing the milk and lemon zest in a saucepan and set the pan over a low heat. Let it slowly warm up until it’s just starting to steam. At the same time beat egg yolks and castor sugar in a bowl until the mixture turns light. Sift in the cornstarch and mix well. Pour a trickle of hot milk over the yolks and whisk until incorporated. Now pour in the rest in a steady stream, whisking continuously until everything is smooth. Return the mixture back into the saucepan. Set the heat to low-medium and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring continuously to avoid any burnt bits or lumps until it has thickened. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and butter. Pour the custard into a clean bowl and cover it with cling film to stop a skin forming.
   
3. To make the almond filling, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Fold in the almonds and lemon zest until the mixture is smooth.
4. Roll out the chilled crust and line on a 10-inch or six 3-inch tart pans. If your tart pan is not the loose-bottom type, then you might want to line the bottom with a parchment paper (or tin foil) to ease the tart out. Prick the bottom of the crust and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and fill the tart with 2/3 of lemon pudding, smooth and top and then spread on frangipane evenly. Return it to the oven and continue to bake 20 minutes until the frangipane is golden brown. Cool the tart for 10 minutes, and then lift from the tin. Leave on a wire rack to cool completely.
   
5. Fold sour cream into the rest of lemon custard and spread the mixture over the frangipane. Arrange the berries on top, placing them as closely as possible. Put the jam and water in a small bowl and microwave for 30 seconds, stirring to combine. Brush the berries with the glaze. Dust with icing sugar if desired.

Crepe, originated in France, is a type of thin pancake, and can be served either with savory or sweet fillings. You don't have to buy a crepe pan, unless you don't mind crowding up your kitchen. (today I just packed 4 skillets/pans away....yes, they have to go to the cellar). So if you have a non-stick pan, it would be just fine.

1. Combine the flour and salt together in a bowl. In another mixing bowl, whip oil, milk and carrot honey juice together. Sift the flour mixture into the liquid and stir until the batter is free of lumps and smooth. Batter will be thin, like heavy cream. Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This allows the bubbles to subside so the crepes will be less likely to tear during cooking.
   
2. Grease an 8-inch nonstick pan lightly and heat over medium-high heat. Pour 2 tablespoons of batter into pan and swirl until the bottom of the pan is covered with batter. Cook the crepe for 1 minute, or until the crepe is slightly moist on top and golden underneath. Loosen the edges of the crepe, slide the spatula under it, and then gently flip it upside down into the pan. Cook for 1 minute and transfer the cooked crepe to a plate to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter.
   
3. Fill crepes with desired filling and seasonal fruit or stack them after they have cooled and store in sealable plastic bags in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to two months. When using frozen crepes, thaw before using.

Feuilletage [fuh-yuh-TAHZH] French for "flaky" or "puff pastry".

1. Whisk the egg and sugar in a bowl until almost white. Mix in the flour and pudding powder. Pour the milk into a heavy bottom saucepan. Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the milk, add the pod as well. Bring the milk to a boil and remove from the heat. Carefully pour about 1/2 cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Return the whole mixture into the saucepan, stir to the boil, for about 1 to 2 minutes while whisking constantly and vigorously. Remove from the heat and strain the pastry cream with a fine sieve into a clean bowl. pour into a clean bowl. Sprinkle the top with a little castor sugar to prevent a skin forming.
   
2. Preheat the oven to 220C/450F. Roll out the pastry 2 mm thick into an even-sided square onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Use tines of fork to pierce the pastry crust many times. Cut in half and then cut each half in two to form four even rectangles. Bake for 15-20 minutes, turn the strips over after 10 minutes. Allow to cool. Spread pastry cream on one strip, place another strip on top and spread with jam. Place the third strip on top and spread with pastry cream. Top with the last strip, flat side up. Press down firmly with a flat tray.
3. Cut white chocolate courverture into the smaller pieces and place them in a heat-proof bowl. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, then remove from the heat. Stir the bowl over the pan, making sure the bottom of bowl does not touch the water. Stir constantly until the chocolate has melted. Separate some white chocolate and place in paper cornet. Melt the dark chocolate at the same way and place in paper cornet. Pour the rest of white chocolate over the pastry in an even coat. Immediately pipe dark chocolate lengthwise in strips 1 cm apart. Quickly pipe on the reserved white chocolate in between. With the back of a small knife, wiping after each stroke, mark down the slice at 2 cm intervals. Turn the slice around and repeat in the same direction with strokes in between the previous ones. Allow to set and trim the edges neatly and cut into even portions.

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Combine the crushed garlic and olive oil. Spread the mixture over a baking tray. Place the bread slices on the top and then turn each one over, so that both sides are evenly coated with the mixture of garlic and olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes until crunchy.
   
2. Trim the ends off each onion then halve lengthwise. Remove peel and finely slice into half moon shapes. Set a skillet on a high heat and melt the butter and olive oil together. Add onions and turn them from time to time until the onions have turn dark mahogany. This will take about 50 minutes.
   
3. Add wine and beef stock to cover the onions. Turn heat to high, and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 to 30 minutes. Season the soup with salt and pepper. Preheat the grill to its highest setting. Ladle soup into the oven-proof soup bowls. Top with the crunchy bread and sprinkle the cheese thickly over the top. Bake for 1-2 minutes until the cheese is melted.

1. Sieve the flour and vanilla sugar on a piece of baking paper. Prepare two baking trays lined with baking papers. Bring the water, butter, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Remove from heat and with one hand tip all the flour in all at once, while stir the mixture vigorously with the other. Once the mixture free of clumps, put it back to fire and cook for one more minute until you have a smooth ball of paste that has left the sides of the saucepan clean.
2. Take the pan off the heat. Transfer the paste into a mixing bowl and stir in one egg, which must be completely blended in before the next egg is added, and so on until all the eggs have been incorporated. The paste appears shiny and should be of a pipeable consistency and not too runny.
3. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Using a fine plain nozzle to pipe “S” for the head and neck of the swan, and a large star nozzle or a couple of teaspoons, to form small balls of choux paste onto the prepared trays, allowing space for them to raise and expand. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until golden and crispy. Swan necks should be removed from the oven after 20 minutes, to prevent them from burning.
4. Remove from the oven and use the tip of a knife to make a slit in the side of each eclair or profiteroles to let the steam inside the puff escape. Return to the turned-off oven and dry out for 5-10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Cut the top of the cream puff 1/4 of the way down. It should be dry in the centre with no uncooked dough in the middle. Fill the bases with whipped cream and then the "S" shape in the Chantilly cream. Slice the tops lengthwise into two, placing the two pieces on either side of the cream to form the wings of the swan. To make profiteroles, pipe whipped cream carefully into the slit cut of each puff or slice the puff open and fill the whipped cream.