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How to make pimiento cheese spread

How to make pimiento cheese spread
July 2015
PHOTOGRAPHER: 
Pimiento cheese, the “caviar of the South,” is a summertime staple for picnickers and partygoers alike. Enan Parezo, co-owner and chef of Upper King’s Twenty Six Divine, shares his heavenly twist on the traditional spread.


❶ Swap out your Duke’s mayo for Philadelphia cream cheese—low fat is okay, if you prefer. This base works better, he says, because it doesn’t become greasy when heated. Pulse two eight-ounce blocks (two cups) in a food processor to soften.

❷ Use a vegetable peeler to remove the rind of your favorite smoked gouda—try the Sam’s Club offering, recommends Enan. Shred two cups of gouda and two cups of your preferred sharp cheddar.

❸ Combine the pulsed cream cheese with the shredded cheeses in a large mixing bowl. Working in two batches, pulse this mixture again in the food processor.

❹ Add one cup of diced roasted tricolor peppers, which Enan prefers to pimientos for their fresh flavor (roast them yourself or grab a jar from the grocery).

❺ Season with four dashes of Frank’s RedHot sauce; 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder; 1/2 teaspoon each of finely diced fresh parsley, rosemary, and thyme; 1/2 teaspoon of paprika; and salt and pepper to taste.

❻ Thin out the mixture with a little bit of water. Serve it with bread or crackers, or top a scoop with diced heirloom tomatoes and enjoy by the spoonful.

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