PIMENTO CHEESE

Makes about 2 cups

When Mary Dodd, my recipe tester, returned from North Carolina with a

mad crush on pimento cheese, along with a can of pimentos, I gave this

Southern treasure a try. And I’ll admit to a moment of pride when friends

from Chapel Hill declared it “spot on.”

My version is straight-up and simple, a blend of sharp and extra-sharp

cheddar, pimentos, mayo, salt and cayenne. (Don’t think that the small

amount of cayenne is stingy — its flavor builds as the cheese rests.)

a word on the cheddar and pimentos

I use Cabot cheddar, and for the sharp cheese, I prefer their wax-wrapped

Vintage Choice Extra-Sharp Cheddar. However, now that I’m committed to

pimento cheese, I often keep bags of shredded cheese in the fridge. As for

the pimentos, Mary told me that Roland-brand whole pimentos are the

pepper of choice among pimento-cheese connoisseurs, and so I search them

out, often online.

A generous packed ⅓ cup (113 grams) pimentos

8 ounces (227 grams) extra-sharp cheddar (see headnote)

2 ounces (57 grams) sharp cheddar

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

WOR K I NG A H E A D

You can make the pimento cheese up to a week ahead.

Press the pimentos between sheets of paper towels until they are as dry as

you can get them and then cut each into a few pieces.

If you’re using block cheese, cut it into small chunks; if the cheese is

shredded, you’re good to go.

Put the pimentos in a food processor and pulse just a couple of times to

finely chop them. Add both cheeses and pulse to begin chopping them. Add

the mayo, salt and cayenne and pulse and process until the mixture has the

texture of tiny-curd cottage cheese. Remove the blade and, using a flexible

spatula, give the cheese a last turn — the mix might become smoother and

more spread-like, and that’s just fine.

Scrape the cheese into a bowl or jar — my favorite is a canning jar or crock;

press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the cheese if you’re using

a bowl. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. If you can wait a day, that’s even

better: The mixture will pick up punch during that time.

Serve straight from the fridge.

C H O I C E S : It’s fun to serve the cheese with celery sticks or stuffed into small

tomatoes. Not surprisingly, it’s good at brunch and nice with a Bloody Mary.

I have it on crackers or bread, use it as a sandwich spread (toppped with

slices of tomato and cucumber for crunch) and think it’s great slathered on

corn on the cob and really good on a burger.