Pimiento Cheese with Cornbread Toasts
Whether spread on saltines, white bread, or “celery boats,” tangy, creamy Pimiento Cheese is seriously habit-forming. A simple mix of mayonnaise or cream cheese, shredded Cheddar, and jarred red peppers, Pimiento Cheese is one of those unassuming Southern classics that can sometimes be a hard sell for people who didn’t grow up on it. But when it’s made right, it’s easy to see why Southerners are so passionate about it. Try it—it may just become your new obsession. Shake it up with a WENDY’S BLOODY MARY (see page 28)
Recipe information
Yield
makes about 2 cups
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Combine the Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses, pimiento peppers, mayonnaise, vinegar, honey, cayenne, and salt and black pepper to taste in a bowl and stir to blend. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, or for up to 1 week. For best flavor, make 1 day ahead.
Step 2
When ready to serve, remove from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature.
Cornbread Toasts
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Step 4
Cut day-old cornbread into slices about 1/4 inch thick and 2 inches long. Brush lightly with olive oil and place in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown around the edges.
Step 5
Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Spoon a dollop of Pimiento Cheese (recipe above) on one end of each toast and garnish with an arugula or celery leaf. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Know-how: Making Crostini and Toast Points
Step 6
Crostini and toast points are practically the same thing made with different kinds of bread, and both make great vehicles for cheeses, spreads, and dips. Toast points are usually made from thin white sandwich bread cut into triangles, while crostini are made from small, crusty baguettes sliced into rounds. Follow your inspiration and experiment with different types of bread—most any kind will work, from crusty sourdough to whole wheat—and different combinations of herbs and spices.
Step 7
For toast points, trim the crusts from slices of thin white sandwich bread and cut diagonally into quarters to form triangles. Brush lightly with melted unsalted butter and place in a preheated 400°F oven to lightly toast.
Step 8
For crostini, slice a baguette into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Brush lightly with extra-virgin olive oil; sprinkle with chopped herbs, such as parsley, oregano, and thyme, and salt and pepper, if desired; and place in a preheated 400°F oven to lightly toast.
