Chakalaka Pimento Cheese
Pimento cheese is savory and comforting, a creamy spread with a touch of spice and the burst of sweet pimento. It can be made with a bit of heat when the cook in charge adds some cayenne, but it’s not known for a spicy profile. Until now. We made a classic pimento cheese and peppered it up with our Chakalaka Seasoning, a zingy, curry-style South African seasoning blend that features African Bird’s Eye Chiles. It’s usually used in a relish dish but pairs wonderfully with cheese.
Buy a block of cheddar cheese and shred it yourself rather than using cheese that’s pre-shredded. Shredded cheese is tossed in an anti-caking agent so the shreds don’t stick to each other in the bag. Incorporating anti-caking agents into a smooth cheese product, like pimento cheese, can, ironically, cause clumps, because it wants to prevent the cheese from sticking together.
2 cups (1 pound) freshly grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
8 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature and cut into cubes
4 ounces pimento peppers, drained
3 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1-2 Tablespoons Chakalaka Seasoning, depending on taste
1/2 teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt
1 teaspoon Black Pepper Medium Grind
1. Put all ingredients in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer or a large capacity food processor.*
2. Beat together until mixture is fully combined and cheese is smooth.
3. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
4. Transfer pimento cheese to a serving bowl. Serve immediately with crackers and sliced vegetables, or spread over baguette slices to make finger sandwiches. This will be good in the refrigerator for a week; allow refrigerated cheese to come to room temperature for 30 minutes before eating.
*We highly recommend using a stand mixer or food processor, instead of trying to blend this by hand. The cheeses can be slow to come together, and getting them to fully incorporate manually can be very time consuming. If you do mix this by hand, make sure to use a sturdy wooden spoon to work through the cheese, rather than trying to mix with a spatula or whisk.