Foodservice > Chef's Table
Featured Chef
Kent Rathbun
Chef Kent Rathbun is the executive chef and proprietor of Abacus, Jasper’s and the newest concept, opening in 2009 — Rathbun’s Blue Plate Kitchen, which reflects the dishes Rathbun likes to prepare for his own family.
Drawing on Southwestern, Mediterranean, American, Cajun/Creole and Pacific Rim influences, Rathbun developed a signature blend of flavors that became the foundation for many dishes at his first restaurant, Abacus, including his Ginger-Soy Glazed Baby Back Ribs. When discussing how to achieve umami in his globally-inspired menus, he says, “As a chef, one of the biggest challenges we face is figuring out how to balance certain ingredients to create this delicious taste we now recognize as umami, and Kikkoman Soy Sauce is that one ingredient we consistently use”.
Abacus has garnered numerous accolades, including a Mobil Four Star rating, a Four Diamond award from AAA, and induction into the Fine Dining Hall of Fame by Nation’s Restaurant News and a 2009 Ivy Award from Restaurants & Institutions. Bon Appetit’s Best of the Year issue for 2001 named the chef’s tasting menu a “Top Pick,” and USA Today cited Abacus as “One of the Top Meals Around the World.”
Ginger-Soy Glazed Baby Back Ribs
8 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
4 large shallots, peeled and chopped
2 jalapeños, stemmed and chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
3 ounces ginger, peeled and grated
1 (10-ounce) bottle dark beer
1 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup Kikkoman Soy Sauce
1 cup barbecue sauce
4 racks baby back ribs (about 8 pounds)
1 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons sambal (Indonesian spice mixture)
2 tablespoons kosher salt
To make marinade, in deep sauté pan, sauté garlic, shallots and jalapeños in olive oil until lightly browned. Add ginger, beer, orange juice concentrate, soy sauce and barbecue sauce; bring to a boil. Add cilantro and remove from heat; cool 15 minutes. Purée in blender until smooth; strain.
Place ribs in large pan; pour two-thirds of the marinade over ribs (reserve remaining marinade for basting). Marinate ribs at least 2 hours. Remove from marinade; season with sambal and salt. Grill over hot grill 2-3 minutes on each side. Move ribs to cooler part of grill and cook slowly, basting with reserved marinade every 30 minutes, about 2 hours or until meat pulls away from the bone.
Recipe by Kent Rathbun, Abacus Restaurant, Dallas, TX
