Kolb’s restaurant was the best German restaurant in New Orleans. From 1899-1995, Kolb’s had a great location on St. Charles Ave. right off of Canal. The German decor was complete with beer steins hanging on the wall. The most memorable part of the decor was the ceiling-fan system. In the original dining room, a leather-belt-driven ceiling-fan system ran about a dozen fans. Later, a German dressed man, Ludwig, was added to appear like he was hand-cranking the whole system. The recipe for this beef dish appeared in the Times Picayune newspaper. After Katrina, most people lost the recipes that they had clipped out of the newspaper. Marcelle Bienvenu and Judy Walker published a book, Cooking Up A Storm, which contained recipes that some had lost in the storm.
3 cups Tarragon Vinegar
4 cups Water
1/2 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Salt
4 Bay Leaves
12 whole Cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground Allspice
2 medium Carrots, sliced
2 medium Onions, sliced
1 Green Bell Pepper, sliced
1 stalk Celery, diced
1/4 bunch Parsley, chopped
1 ( 4-pound) Beef Bottom Round Roast
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
1 tablespoon All-Purpose Flour
1 tablespoon Ginger
In a large mixing bowl, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, bay leaves, cloves, allspice, carrots, onions, bell pepper, celery, and parsley. Whisk together to dissolve the sugar and salt. Put the beef in this marinade. Cover the bowl and refrigerate. Marinate the beef for a week, turning occassionally.
Remove the beef from the marinade (reserve the marinade) and wipe it dry with paper towels. Heat the oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and sear the beef on all sides. Pour the marinade over the meat. Rasie the heat, bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, until fork tender, 2 to 3 hours.
Remove the meat from the pot and keep warm. Strain the cooking liquid and return it to the pot. Combine the flour and ginger and whisk ito the liquid to thicken it. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Season with additional vinegar and/or sugar if needed to get the right sweet-sour taste to the gravy. Slice the meat and serve covered with the hot gravy.
Enjoy!!!
Now available on IBooks You Can’t Keep New Orleans Out Of The Cook
Comments