1. Heat a Dutch oven until very hot. Rinse the spinach, add to
Dutch oven and sprinkle with salt. Toss and cook until wilted,
about 2-1/2 minutes. Drain well in a colander and set aside.
2. Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the
potatoes, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer until a knife point
easily pierces a wedge, about 15 minutes. Drain into a
colander. Set potatoes on a serving platter, wrap in foil, and
keep warm in a 150-degree oven.
3. Rinse the chicken breasts and pat dry. Sprinkle generously
with salt and pepper.
4. Heat the butter in a wide, heavy saute pan over high heat.
Add the chicken breasts, skin side down. Sear briefly. Reduce
the heat to medium-high and saute, turning once, until well
browned and cooked through, 6 to 7 minutes on each side.
Add the breasts to the serving platter and keep warm.
5. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the saute pan and
place the pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and
cayenne or curry powder and cook, stirring to coat, for about
30 seconds. Add the flour and warm milk, whisking until
smooth. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened,
about 3 minutes.
6. Just before serving, add the Jarlsberg to the sauce and stir
until melted. Taste for salt.
7. Meanwhile, arrange the warm potatoes and mound the
spinach around the chicken breasts. As soon as the cheese
melts, pour the hot sauce over the chicken and spinach, then
serve immediately.
Serves 6 people.