SHIITAKE-CRUSTED CHICKEN WITH SPINACH SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the sauce, in a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the spinach until deep green, about 45 seconds. Drain it and transfer to a plate to cool. When cool enough to handle, squeeze out the excess liquid and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the butter. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, vinegar, broth, sugar and curry and bring to a boil. Boil until reduced by a third, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in the spinach and return to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• When the spinach mixture has cooled, transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• To make the chicken, in a large skillet over high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the mushrooms, shallots and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and soft, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a baking sheet in an even layer and set aside to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. When the mushroom mixture is cool, transfer to a food processor with the chicken tenderloins and pulse until a paste forms. Divide the paste into 6 equal portions. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. On a work surface, lay out a 12-inch length of heavy-duty plastic wrap and place 1 portion of the paste in the center. Fold the plastic in half and, using a rolling pin, flatten the paste until slightly larger than half a chicken breast. Unfold the plastic and place a piece of chicken, smooth-side down, on the paste and gather the plastic up and around the breast. Cut the excess plastic and discard. Transfer the wrapped chicken, paste-side up, to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining paste and chicken breasts. Bake until firm and cooked through, about 25 minutes. (The plastic will not melt.)
• Remove the chicken from the oven and preheat the broiler. Carefully unwrap the plastic and return the breasts, paste-side up, to the baking sheet relined with foil. Brush with the remaining tablespoon of oil and lightly sprinkle with bread crumbs. Broil until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Set aside for 5 minutes.
• Reheat the sauce. Slice the breast halves on the diagonal and arrange each one on a plate, fanning out the slices. Ladle the sauce alongside each breast and serve.