Chef Kent Rathbun
Abacus
Dallas Cowboys

GRILLED CORN SHAFTS BLUE CHEESE GRITS
4 oz. canola oil
1 cup corn kernels, fresh
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 each shallot, minced
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups quick-cooking grits
4 oz. shafts blue cheese, crumbled
2 oz. butter, cubed
2 Tbsp cracked black pepper
1 Tbsp kosher salt
1/4 cup chives, chopped fine
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped fine

On a sheet pan, rub the corn with a little canola and season with a touch of kosher salt. Grill lightly over on open fire until golden brown. After corn cools, cut the kernels off of the cob and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, add in the rest of the canola oil and sauté the garlic and shallots until translucent. Then cover with the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Slowly add the grits to the stock until they start to thicken, turn down flame and continue to stir until grits start to get tender (the grits should be the consistency of mashed potatoes). Stir in grilled corn kernels, blue cheese, butter, cracked black pepper, kosher salt, chives and cilantro.

JALAPENO RED-EYE GRAVY
2 oz. canola oil
8 cloves garlic, chopped
4 each shallots, chopped
2 large yellow onions, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 each carrots, chopped
1 Tbsp black peppercorns
1 each chipotle pepper stemmed, seeded and, toasted
1 each jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 each bay leaf
1 quart brewed coffee
2 lb chicken or duck bones, roasted
1 large smoked ham hock
2 quarts chicken stock
2 cups veal demi glace
2 Tbsp basil, chopped
2 Tbsp thyme, chopped
1 Tbsp cilantro leaves, chopped
1 oz. butter
1 each lime, juiced
2 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp cracked black pepper

In a large saucepot on high heat, add canola oil and sauté garlic until a golden brown color develops. Then add in shallots, yellow onions, celery, carrots and black peppercorns and cook 8 minutes, or until caramelized. Add in chipotles, jalapenos and bay leaf, then deglaze with coffee and reduce to sec.

Place the roasted chicken bones and ham hock in the pot and cover with chicken stock and veal demi glace. Bring to light boil and reduce to a simmer for 2 hours. Add basil, thyme, cilantro and steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container. Thicken to sauce consistency, if necessary, with the cornstarch slurry.

Whip in butter and season with lime, kosher salt and pepper