Pimento Cheese sandwiches are iconic in the golf world, but this mid-century classic was never on our radar — until this summer, when ALL of our pepper plants seemed to ripen fruit on the same day. And while we confess to sneaking eggplant and zucchini into our neighbor's back seats and mailboxes, we have been pulling out all the stops to find "new" ways to use our precious peppers.
We have re-invented this classic dish, and use only primo ingredients, so we are actually proud to put it out for our best summer parties. Though our friend's compliments always start with the words, "I never really LIKED pimento cheese..." they always end with, "Fantastic!" This is the best ever — we promise!
1 lb. Red Hoop Cheddar Cheese - you can substitute a high-quality, sharp cheddar- shredded
5 Sweet Spanish Mammoth Red Peppers, or other sweet red pepper - grilled, skinned and chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 small sweet Vidalia onion, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 tsp Worchestershire sauce
2 cups Hellmann's Mayonnaise
dash Crystal Hot Sauce
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
Toast rounds or crackers for serving
Clean and oil (EVOO) the peppers, then put them over a hot fire until the skins are slightly charred, and the peppers are soft. Then put them into a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap until they cool. The skins will pull off easily. Then cut the tops off, lay the pepper out flat, and scrape out the ribs and seeds. Quarter the peppers and put them into a food processor with a metal blade. Add the onion and garlic, and process until finely chopped.
Place in a large mixing bowl. Add the grated cheese, Worchestershire sauce, mayo, hot sauce, and salt and pepper, and mix gently with a spatula.
Cover and refrigerate immediately. It's best if allowed to set in the fridge for at least 4 hours. It will keep in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
