I was let on to Stuffed Pepper tacos by my friend Nick, who got the idea from this well known Mexican joint in Santa Barbara called La Super-Rica Taqueria. It is pretty easy to make, it pleases the crowds, but is a bit spicy so check the guest list and see if you need to make something a little less fiery. Here is how you make this:

1. Go to the Mexican market and get a shopping cart.

2. Find the Pasilla peppers and buy five (they are cheap!).

3. Grab a number at the meat counter and wait your turn.

4. Get yourself about 5 lbs of the Ranchera Preperada.

5. Go to the chilled counter and get a number, and when called ask for 3/4 pound of Oxana cheese. It looks a lot like string cheese and it great as a snack. Also look around this area for the fixings that you like for your tacos. I like to get a medium container of the Salsa Roja, and 1/2 pound of the guacamole. I am not a fan of most store bought guac, but this is good and well worth it.

6. Get yourself a package of their fresh tortillas. The flour are my favorite, but many people prefer corn tortillas. Either way you’re covered.

7. Check out, get home, wash the chilies, get the BBQ heating up and find some toothpicks. Hopefully you don’t have to go back to the store as I often have to when I make this dish in another person’s kitchen.

8. Cut the tops out of the top of the chilies. Now you want to do this kinda like you take the top out of a pumpkin because we are going to use the previously mentioned toothpicks to pin the tops back in.

9. Clean out the inside of the chili and ditch the seeds, just like you would clean a bell pepper. Because these can be spicy, you need to wash your hands before you touch your face, believe me… you don’t want to find yourself burning in places that you didn’t want to…..

10. Stuff the chilies with as much Oxana cheese as you can fit inside. Then pin the tops back into place with a few toothpicks. This is always fun to watch people do for the first time.

11. Turn the grill down to medium after you have already let it get nice and toasty on high for a little while. Throw the chilies on and wait about five minutes a side or until they are getting black spots and the cheese is starting to run out.

12. Grill up the beef. It only takes a few minutes on each side to cook through.

13. Take the meat off the grill, then let it stand for a few minutes while the chilies are cooling. Then put a few pieces of the meat on the cutting board, stack a few chilies on top of that, grab your sharp knife and go to work chopping it all up together.

14. Heat up the tortillas, grab a beer, add the meat, chili and cheese to your warm tortilla, and enjoy!!

If you are so inclined, give this a go and let me know what you think. I would like to continue to share my cooking experiences as we go forward.

Until next time, Keep eating Long Beach,

Cliv

Ingredients:
5 large Pasillas Chili Peppers
5 pounds Ranchera Preperada (marinated flap steak)
3/4 pound Oxana Cheese
12 Flour or 16 Corn Tortillas
1/2 pound guacamole
1 pack of salsa roja
Your favorite beverages

Our content has been slowed down by the heat and chaos that is SoCal summer, but do not be alarmed. We will be picking back up in September with the renewed vigor of fall, including a preview of the coming football season and where the best restaurants and bars are for you to watch your favorite teams.

In the meantime, grab a ‘Stone and hop in your do-boy pool, or hit the beach to beat the heat. I recommend stopping by Taqueria La Mexicana on 4th Street and picking up a carne asada burrito to go, which you can then devour while you stare into the sea and contemplate life’s mysteries.

Until next time, stay cool out there and wear sunscreen.

LB Food Review

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I have been hearing about this place called the At Last Café for the last two years now, but until last week I had never made it over there for a meal. After a couple of failed attempts (they don’t do breakfast, and they are closed on Mondays), Taylor and I finally made it on Wednesday night before going on Swoop’s World Radio, and man was it worth every second of the wait. We met up with our good buddy J Hughes and snuck in right before closing time for a dinner that I will not soon forget.

The At Last Café is located on the corner of Orange and 2nd. It is very small so you almost always need a reservation for dinner. Another obstacle that you are going to have to tackle before you are able to sit down is finding a parking spot. It is street only, and if you are a Long Beachian you know that parking in this area can be a total pain in the ass. I dropped Taylor off to get our name on the list and then found a spot just across Broadway. When I walked up, Taylor was seated outside (since we had no reservation) and there was an iced tea waiting for me, since you cannot have alcohol on the sidewalk/patio. While we waited for J to meet up, we browsed the menu and the specials, and then ordered three different things so that we could sample the many tempting options. We also ordered the polenta appetizer, one of their specialties that my buddy Jerry had told me I had to try. Before the appetizer made it out, J had shown up and we were offered an open table inside, and we jumped at the opportunity.

We got seated at our table right by the window and I quickly noticed that there are only seven or eight tables in the entire place, making this just the kind of quant establishment that I dig. We ordered up a bottle of cabernet and patiently awaited our food. The polenta was served in two thick cakes sliced into thirds (polenta, in this case, is fried corn meal) and covered in Portobello mushroom gravy. The flavor was rich, the texture was right on, and the massive cuts of mushroom made the gravy irresistible. I can totally understand why this is one of the specialties. As soon as we finished licking the plate, our entrees arrived.

The three of us passed around our plates family-style. All of our entrees were served with beautifully presented vegetables and smashed potatoes and gravy. I ordered the meatloaf on a hunch, although I am generally wary of ordering meatloaf out because restaurants often try to do too much with it, like adding too much sausage or covering it with tomato sauces. When I want meatloaf, I want beef with a good seasoning and gravy and this is just the way that it was served here. The meatloaf was not heavy or greasy, and the gravy was homemade and delicious, making this just what I was looking for.

Taylor decided on the French Pot Roast, and it was so tender that it fell apart with the slight help of a fork. The flavor over took your taste buds like the Germans invading France. The tender beef, served over fettuccine in a red wine reduction, melted in my mouth and left me eyeing Taylor’s dish for the rest of the meal.

Last but not least, J Hughes had one of At Last’s more popular dishes, the Brick Chicken. They take a deboned, beautifully seasoned half-chicken, flatten it under a brick, and grill it to perfection. The chicken was moist, with a delicious flavor accompanied by an array of spices. The portion was too much to finish even with all of us eating off of each other’s plates. If you are not a chicken lover when you walk in the door, you will be when you walk out!

We finished up our meal with a piece of Homemade Peach Pie a la mode. It was a real treat, with flaky, buttery, handmade crust. The peach filling consisted of real slices of peaches, not the gooey jelly stuff that you find in many restaurant pies. It was very much like the pie that you would find cooling by your grandmother’s window.

We really enjoyed our meal at the At Last Café. The small size of the restaurant allows for a level of service that you rarely find. It is not unusual for the chef to ask you how you enjoyed your meal. The portions are generous, and the prices are reasonable. Next time you are looking for a great comfort food meal, call and make reservations, and make a trip over to Orange and 2nd. You’ll be glad you did.

Until Next Time, Keep Eating Long Beach,

Cliv

Check out arts, culture, and food tonight on Swoop’s World Radio. Tonight’s featured guest is photographer Donna Santisi, talking about her new book, “Ask The Angels”, a look at what life was like capturing the L.A. Punk scene at some of the most storied clubs during the 1970’s. Donna shot pictures of and got to many of the artist she shot, including Patti Smith, Joan Jett, X, the Ramones, Blondie, and the Go-Go’s to name a few. Just tune in at 9pm to follow along. Listeners also have the opportunity to call in live (917) 889-7449 or join via the live Internet chat.

If you are afraid you’ll forget, you can check in now and set a show reminder and you’ll be notified prior to the start of the show.

Swoop’s World Radio is an Internet radio show focused on Long Beach, CA. Listen live every Wednesday @ 9PM. Information about show, as well as archived episodes can always be found here or on iTunes.