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.