Pimento Cheese Spread

Total Time: 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1/2 lb 'mild yellow cheddar cheese or 1/2 lb longhorn' cheese
• 1/2 lb aged sharp cheddar cheese, preferably vermont 'or new york'
• one 7-ounce can pimiento, with their juice
• 1 cup chopped scallion
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 'preferably homemade'
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce (to taste)
• 6 dashes tabasco sauce (to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• crackers or raw vegetables, for serving

Recipe

• 1 1. use a meat grinder or the coarse side of a box grater to grate the cheese; for a grinder, use the cutter with large holes. put the ground or grated cheese in a mixing bowl and add half the juice from the canned pimentos. dice the pimentos and add them. add the chopped scallions.
• 2 2. combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and garlic. add this to the cheese mixture. add the worcestershire, tabasco, and black pepper and blend well; taste and adjust the seasoning.
• 3 3. serve at room temperature as a spread for crisp crackers and raw vegetables or use as a sandwich spread. (pimento cheese can be tightly sealed and kept for several days in the refrigerator.).
• 4 notes: i learned to make pimento cheese from a southern friend's mom. she doesn't use worcestershire or garlic but i think they sound like great additions. i think i'll add this to next weekend's football food! i made it a day ahead of time and i think it tastes even better with a little time to rest before serving.