Search This Blog

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Pimiento and cheese with a twist

It's been a while since I've posted a blog. The reason is, in case you haven't already heard, is that I've been really busy with a new project. I'm publishing a food magazine covering the state of Mississippi. I married into publishing and I love food, so I've combined my publishing experience and passion for food to create eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI. The first issue has been printed and will hit news stands and mailboxes next week. Go to my website, www.eatdrinkmississippi.com, or find me on Facebook and check it out.
Just before deadline on the magazine, I had a recipe I needed to test before I published it. It was written to make eight casseroles and I wanted to cut it down to just one, so I figured I better try it out first. It was late in the evening before I got started, so I was running out of time. The sauce for the casserole didn't turn out to my satisfaction, so I scrapped it. The recipe called for hoop and Havarti cheese, which is a little pricy. I've been wondering what to do with the unused cheeses and finally decided to make pimiento and cheese.

I wanted to add a twist to it by putting a chipotle pepper in it, but was afraid it wouldn't turn out good and didn't want to waste the cheese, so I made a regular version and a chipotle version.
Havarti cheese is a semi-soft cheese that has a buttery flavor. It combined really well with the hoop (red rind) cheese, adding extra flavor to an otherwise run-of-the-mill pimiento and cheese. For the chipotle version, I removed the seeds from the chipotle pepper and finely chopped it. Removing the seeds takes out the heat, leaving the flavor. The addition of bacon also added another layer of smoky flavor to it. Plus, bacon makes almost anything taste better.
To top it off, I made a sandwich with both spreads and grilled them on my panini grill. The result was hot, gooey, cheesy goodness. It made for a comforting lunch on a dreary, rainy November day. 



Pimiento and Cheese


1/2 pound hoop cheese, shredded
1/2 pound Havarti cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon grated onion
2 ounces diced pimientos
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper, to taste
Mix cheeses, onion, pimientos, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and mayonnaise. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate. Makes about 2 cups.



Bacon Chipotle Pimiento and Cheese


1/2 pound hoop cheese, shredded
1/2 pound Havarti cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon grated onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 ounces diced pimientos
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, seeds removed and finely chopped
1/4 cup real bacon pieces
3/4 cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper, to taste

Mix cheeses, onion, garlic, pimientos, chipotle pepper, bacon pieces, and mayonnaise. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate. Makes about 2 cups.