Classic Pimiento Cheese
Kitchen Tested 
- Yield 2 1/2 cups
If you've never had homemade pimiento cheese, you're in for a delightful old-fashioned treat.
Mark Boughton Photography / styling: Teresa Blackburn
Serve with buttery crackers or stuffed in celery stalks for an easy appetizer.
Ingredients
- 2 cups finely shredded extra-sharp Cheddar
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano)
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise, divided
- 1 small garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tablespoon grated shallot or yellow onion
- 1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimientos, drained but liquid reserved
- Ground cayenne pepper
- 1 pinch English-style dry mustard
Instructions
- Combine half the Cheddar and half the Parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Mix together lightly. Knead in 4 tablespoons of mayonnaise until mixture is creamy and very smooth.
- Work in remaining cheese, garlic, shallot, pimientos, 1 tablespoon of reserved pimiento liquid, a dash of cayenne and a small pinch of dry mustard. Knead just enough to mix well: it should still have plenty of texture. Add remaining mayonnaise, if necessary—-just enough to make it spreadable.
- Let stand 30 minutes. Serve cool or at room temperature
Recipe by Damon Lee Fowler
