Pimento Cheese

By TPMay

Ingredients

• PIMIENTO AND CHEESE
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese (softened)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 4 ounce jar diced pimientos (drained)
• 2 teaspoons grated Vidalia or other sweet onion
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, preferably Roasted Pepper Hot Sauce (recipe follows)
• 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup candied jalapeños (diced, recipe follows)
• salt (to taste)
• ROASTED PEPPER HOT SAUCE
• 10 red jalapeno chiles
• 10 red serrano chiles
• 1 habanero chile (optional)
• 2 1/2 cups white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/2 medium red onion (chopped)
• CANDIED JALAPENOS
• 1 pound fresh jalapenos
• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 small white onion (slivered)

Preparation

Step 1

Pimiento and Cheese: whisk or beat the cream cheese until soft, then fold in the mayonnaise, pimientos, onion, pepper, hot sauce, cheese, and jalapeños. Stir until well mixed, then add salt if needed. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week, but bring to room temperature before using
Roasted Pepper Hot Sauce: on a hot grill, roast all the chiles until blackened, turning as the skin blisters, 8 to 10 minutes. Carefully remove them from the grill and put them into a paper bag or container and cover for 20 minutes. Peel off the skin, then stem and seed the chiles. Put the chiles in a medium stockpot and add the vinegar, salt, garlic and onion. Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat to simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit until cool. Pour the contents of the stockpot into a blender or food processor and puree for 2 to 3 minutes, until very smooth. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer placed over a pot. Press lightly to release as much of the juices as possible. Pour the liquid into a bottle, which should keep in the fridge for up to 1 month.
Candied Jalapenos: wearing gloves, wash, rinse, and stem the jalapenos. Then core them if desired. Cut into 1/8-inch slices. In a small stockpot, bring the vinegar, sugar, granulated garlic, and mustard seeds to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes to ensure the sugar is fully dissolved. Add the garlic, jalapenos, and onion and simmer for 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the jalapenos and onion to sterilized canning jars, packing as tightly as possible without destroying the slices, then pour the syrup over them. Let cool, then replace the lids and store in the refrigerator for up to a month.