salsa guero

I’ve been trying to replicate this salsa from Mamma Testa’s restaurant down in San Diego for  a while now, and I think I’m pretty close. No other salsa I’ve ever tasted compares to this one because it uses Parmesan cheese to make it creamy and salty. It’s very good. Here is my rendition of it.

The most important part is to make it and then LET IT SIT in the fridge for a day. Let all the ingredients to become friends, and you’ll taste the love. It’s the key last step that needs to be taken.

The chili guero, more commonly known as yellow chili in your grocery store, is the key ingredient. The person at the Mexican market said this is translated to gringo chili because its white. The flavor of the guero is the cornerstone for the recipe, so don’t replace it with any other chili.

• 15 guero chilies
• 5-7 garlic cloves
• 1/2 onion
• handful of fresh grated Parmesan
• juice of 1/2 lime

1. Remove seeds from chilies and chop into quarters
2. Rough chop onion
3. Cover chilies and onion with water in a large pot and boil for 20 minutes
4. Cut 5 garlic cloves in half and roast in pan on medium low with the skin on. Roast for 15 minutes.
5. Drain water from the chilies, squeeze out garlic into mixture, and add lime juice.
6. Hand grate fresh Parmesan! Please don’t use pre-grated Parmesan because it will taste like crap.
7. Add Parmesan and blend until smooth. Let sit in fridge overnight.