Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded 2 percent sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 cups shredded 2 percent mild cheddar cheese
- 3 teaspoons grated onion
- 1/2 cup chopped pimento (roasted red pepper), drained
- 1/4 cup juice from jarred pimentos
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1/2 cup low fat or light mayonnaise (preferably the south’s favorite, Duke’s, if you can get it)
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 4 dashes cayenne pepper, or more, to taste
Directions
- Combine the shredded cheeses in a mixing bowl and add the onion, pimento, pimento juice, fish sauce, mayo, yogurt, and cayenne.
- Mix well with a spoon or rubber spatula.
- Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Serve with crackers or as a filling for sandwiches
- Grate the onion on a box grater or, better yet, a Microplane — it should be almost puréed in consistency.
Use fish sauce for flavor balance to prepare Kryptonite Homemade Pimento Cheese a twist on the traditional flavor of the classic recipe.
Homemade Pimento Cheese Recipe, With a Twist
Creamy, tangy pimento cheese is my Kryptonite, my delicious weakness. There are some dishes that simply aren’t as good when put through a healthy makeover — but this is not one of them. Through a few modifications and one unorthodox additional ingredient, I’ve come up with a pimento cheese recipe that can hold its own against the traditional favorite. Don’t be thrown by the fish sauce — it doesn’t give even a trace of fish flavor; it only adds umami and balances out the sweetness that comes with low-fat mayo. Seriously, hold your nose and use the fish sauce! It’s my secret for making many dishes more delicious.
More from Learn to Cook 25 Southern Classics 3 Ways
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From Learn to Cook 25 Southern Classics 3 Ways: Traditional, Contemporary, International by Jennifer Brulé. Copyright © 2016 by the University of North Carolina Press. Used by permission of the publisher.
