_Della’s Spanish Dining Room_ in Farmington is one of the most popular
restaurants in northwestern New Mexico. But Della Chávez throws up her
hands in dismay and laughs at the idea of writing down her recipes. One
must watch to see how it is done, she says. This is how she prepares her
tacos.
Take ground chuck and brown it in the frying pan, draining off excess
fat. One pound of meat will probably fill six tortillas. Season the meat
with _salsa_—made with chopped peeled tomatoes, garlic, salt, chopped
onions, chopped red chiles. (The quantities, Della implies, will depend
on one’s own taste.)
When the meat is ready, warm tortillas on a grill. Place in a bowl and
cover with a towel. They’ll steam themselves soft. Fold the tortillas in
half and stuff with meat. Pin with wooden toothpicks.
Fry the tacos in very hot deep fat (perhaps 375-400 degrees F) for just
a minute. Turn over, then remove and drain. Remove toothpicks and stuff
with grated longhorn cheese (perhaps a half pound for 6 tacos), shredded
lettuce and finely chopped tomatoes, in that order. Serve.