Bourbon Pimento Cheese Spread
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I am a strong believer that alcohol can make almost anything taste better. I wanted to keep this a dish that reminds me of the south so I initially started with Southern Comfort but it made it too sweet and the juniper berry flavor from the liquor tasted strange with the cheese. I ended up using bourbon instead. I used everything from Jim Beam to Jack Daniels and they are all good so feel free to use your favorite American whisky. I also like to use a mix of mostly regular sharp cheddar cheese with a smaller amount of very sharp cheddar cheese to bring up the flavor while keeping a smooth constancy.
Equal parts appetizer and condiment this versatile recipe will become a staple at your house. Spread this recipe on white bread to make a traditional southern sandwich. Pimento cheese can be served as a spread on crackers, bagels, or celery, scooped onto corn chips or tortilla chips, mixed in with mashed yolks when making deviled eggs, added to grits, or slathered over hamburgers or hotdogs. Pimento cheese spread can also be used to replace the sliced cheese in a grilled cheese sandwich.
You can find diced pimentos in 4 ounce jars so for this recipe just use half a jar and store the rest in the fridge till you want to make the spread again or use the remainder in another dish like my Mexican Chicken Chili.
Equal parts appetizer and condiment this versatile recipe will become a staple at your house.
Place the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, bourbon, hot sauce, and half the pimentos and their liquid into a food processor. Pulse, until it becomes a smooth paste and pimentos are completely pureed. Taste and adjust hot sauce if needed.
Next, add the remaining pimentos and pulse once or twice just enough to incorporate them without pureeing the pimentos. You can eat it right away but if using as an appetizer spread I like to refrigerate it for at least half an hour so the cold can make it a bit thicker and the flavors can meld.
Ingredients
Directions
Place the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, bourbon, hot sauce, and half the pimentos and their liquid into a food processor. Pulse, until it becomes a smooth paste and pimentos are completely pureed. Taste and adjust hot sauce if needed.
Next, add the remaining pimentos and pulse once or twice just enough to incorporate them without pureeing the pimentos. You can eat it right away but if using as an appetizer spread I like to refrigerate it for at least half an hour so the cold can make it a bit thicker and the flavors can meld.