From A Past Edition Of The New Orleans Menu Daily By Tom Fitzmorris Chicken Napoleons You have to be a little careful making these, but the flavor is more satisfying than what you usually get from precious little appetizers like this. As the name "napoleon" implies, this is made in layers. The hardest part is cutting and getting the first one out. This both looks and tastes a little Greek to me. 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 Tbs. olive oil 2 Tbs. flour 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper 1/2 tsp. dill 1 10-oz. bag fresh spinach 1 1/2 tsp. fresh chopped garlic 1 Tbs. lemon juice, strained 6 oz. Emmentaler cheese, in deli-style thin slices Phyllo pastry leaves Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 1. Rinse chicken and pat dry. With a meat mallet or the side of a heavy cleaver, pound chicken to the thickness of two stacked nickels. 2. Combine the flour, salt, pepper, and dill. Sprinkle (do not dredge) the chicken with the mixture. 3. Heat the olive oil until it shimmers in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken until it lightly browns on both sides. Remove and keep warm. 4. Add 1/4 cup of water to the pan and bring to a boil. Whisk the bottom of the pan to dissolve the olive oil and little bits of browned chicken that may have stuck. Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the spinach, still dripping its wash water, and the garlic. Cook until the spinach softens, stirring carefully (avoid breaking the leaves). After cooking, drain the spinach well. 5. Coat the inside of a glass baking dish or casserole (about 9 x 5 x 2 inches) with olive oil. Place the thinnest chicken slices on the bottom. Top with slices of the cheese, then the spinach. Sprinkle a little of the lemon juice over this, then create another layer in the same way. Top that with the remaining lemon juice, and then with the phyllo pastry. 6. Put the baking dish into the 350-degree oven for 25 minutes, or until a knife poked into the center shows that the inside is hot. The pastry should also be browned by this time. 7. Allow to cool for five minutes. With a sharp knife, cut into squares or rectangles. Serves four. Click here for an index of recipes from past editions. © 2008 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com