My parents used to bring home store-bought pints of pimento cheese spread. I LOVED it! But, I quickly learned it wasn't for the kids. It was for my parent's parties and their friends. Evidently, in Socal market deli counters, pimento cheese spread was pricy.
Flash forward to my teen years and life in the South. Pimento cheese spread was EVERYWHERE! Neighbors made it. Stores sold it by the quart. I was in pimento cheese heaven.
Life took me westward again, and pimento cheese faded into old memories, disappearing from my life for decades.
A couple of weeks ago guess what pops up on YouTube - pimento cheese! I had to make it. I bought the ingredients, followed a recipe I liked, and the flavors I loved as a kid returned. But now, my adult cooking brain said, "You can do better."
Below is about 2/3's of the batch I made yesterday afternoon. I can't stay out of it. The recipe is below, including some ideas I'll play with in future batches. Feel free to beat me to the punch. And, if you have a pimento cheese recipe you love, share it.
Say CHEESE!
Ray
Ray's Pimento Cheese Spread
Future addition ideas:
- a half cup of chopped onion or 2 tsp onion powder for a bit more complexity.
- a small can (7 oz) of drained chopped green peppers, hot, medium, or mild.
Ingredients and Directions
12-14 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated with a food processor or hand grater
3-4 oz neufchatel softened cream cheese
2 oz pecorino romano, finely grated
1/2 cup jarred diced pimentos (2 small jars), drained
⅓ cup mayonnaise
⅓ cup sour cream
1 ½ Tbs Lawry's Garlic Salt (green cap). Add more if desired.
1 tsp granulated sugar (to soften the salt from cheese and Lawry's)
1 tsp ground black pepper. Add more if desired
Cayenne pepper to taste, optional.
Stir to mix thoroughly.
Cover and chill at least two hours to firm and allow the flavors to mix.
Makes about 4 cups.
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