'Gumbo Brothers' a taste of New Orleans in Brooklyn

COBBLE HILL, Brooklyn (WABC) -- Didn't make it to Mardi Gras this past week? 'Gumbo Brothers' will bring New Orleans to you.

Despite the name, Adam Lathan and Clay Boulware are not brothers - they were roommates at LSU, and transplants to Brooklyn. They opened up 'Gumbo Brothers' on 224 Atlantic Avenue in Cobble Hill, which they say is the perfect neighborhood.

The mainstay of the menu is po boys and gumbo. The po boys are shrimp, catfish and roast beef.

"A lot of people think seafood when it comes to po boys, but in a lot of places in New Orleans, roast beef is just as famous," says Lathan.

Lathan uses chuck roll because of its high fat content, which he sears. It is then placed on top of carrots, celery, onions, garlic and herbs and doused with the secret ingredient, Abita root beer, which helps the meat caramelize as it cooks. Beef stock goes in as well.

The meat is cooked, and then warmed with gravy to order, before it goes on a Leidenheimer French bread shipped up from New Orleans. After that, you won't have much room for beignets, which are sold on the weekends.

In three months, Gumbo Brothers already has a following, even among the toughest critics.

Roast Beef Po Boys with Debris Gravy (Serves 12)

- 5 lb Roast

- Coarse Kosher Salt & Coarsely Ground Black Pepper

- Canola Oil

- 12 oz Abita root beer

- 2 cup Beef stock (or water)

- 1 Large Spanish Onion (chopped)

- 3 Celery Stalks (chopped)

- 1 Carrot (chopped)

- 1 Bay leaf

- 3 cloves peeled garlic (whole)

- 3 Sprigs Fresh thyme

- French Bread, Lettuce, Tomato, Mayonnaise (preferably Duke's) and dill pickle for sandwiches.

Instructions:

- Preheat oven to 300

- Rub the outside of the roast liberally with salt, pepper and set aside.

- Bring a deep, oiled cast iron Dutch oven to medium high heat. Sear roast on all sides (including ends) for 1-2 minutes per side until a dark crust is formed and remove from heat, set roast aside.

- In the same Dutch oven, add the Abita root beer, beef stock, onion, celery, carrot, bay leaf, garlic and thyme creating a small bed of vegetables and place the seared roast on top. Make sure there is enough liquid to cover all of the vegetables.

-Cover and slide into the oven. Cook for 4-5 hours (or until an internal temp of 145-150), flip the roast halfway through to cook evenly.

- Remove the roast and let it cool for 15-20 minutes. Cut off all of the trimmings and burnt ends and set aside. Slice or shred roast to preference and set aside.

- Take the remaining "debris" of vegetables and roast trimmings and transfer to a food processor and puree. Slowly add remaining liquid from the roast until gravy is at desired thickness. Salt and pepper to taste.

Dip sliced roast into the warm gravy and serve dressed on fresh French bread for a classic Po Boy!

*DRESSED = thinly sliced lettuce, tomato slices, mayonnaise and dill pickles slices.