[tabs]

In East LA there is a small but real popular little Cafe on Evergreen Street right across the street from the church. I started going there in the late 1970's, usually sitting at the counter and ordering the Machaca dinner. From the time the waitress took the order to the steaming plate of food being placed in front of me was 90 seconds. Manny would sometimes come by and serve you a shot El Presidente.

To recreate this at home you take a 3 to 4 pound Chuck Roast and Crock Pot it or boil it in a stock pot with a few cloves of Garlic and Bay Leaves, salt to taste.When nice and tender and cooled you shred the meat.

To make the Machaca you take a big hand full of Shredded beef and put it in a large cast iron frying pan with 2 to 3 Tblspns of sizzling Manteca, brown the shredded beef throw in a medium sliced onion, 3 or 4 coarsely chopped Jalapeno peppers, and 2 coarsely chopped tomatos. Cook all that up then throw in 3 eggs and scramble up the whole mixture finally throwing in 3/4 of a cup of Shredded Cheddar Cheese and when melted put on a plate

Serve with refried Beans, Mexican rice and Tortillas.

For the Beans you wash and soak 4 cups of Pinto beans over night. Cover with plenty of water, throw in a couple of Bay Leaves, cloves of Garlic and a smoked Ham Hock. Cook till the beans are tender. In a heavy skillet heat till hot a couple of Tblspns of Manteca and then a couple of ladles of beans and liquid mash with a potatoes masher into a nice creamy mixture and serve.

For the Mexican rice put about a cup of rice into a medium sauce pan with 3 Tblspns of heated vegetable oil and brown the rice to medium brown put in a 6 OZ can of El Patio Tomato sauce and water to cover cook till the rice is tender and serve.

If u like u can even make your own Tortillas. Add a little Mexican sour creama and mashed Avacados with a bit of garlic and salt if desired.

The one thing you can not substitute for is the Manteca for it imparts the unique authentic flavor to the cusine.