So it’s October 1st, and it’s Khristian’s birthday.
This is a short blog with something delicious, easy, and celebratory. I like to make Bon Appetit’s seedy oat crackers to serve this with, but seriously. You could eat this any old way and be perfectly happy.
And in other news, this will be the last post here for a bit. I have some other things to focus on, and I may shift away from maintaining a food blog. I will keep cooking and posting recipes on Instagram (@charmcityedibles), so go on over there and follow along.
In the meantime, make this for someone you love.
Blistered Shishito Pimento Cheese
Use this as a dip with crackers or vegetables, or make a grilled cheese with it. Or any other way you might use an insanely delicious cheese dip.
Ingredients
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (see Recipe Notes)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
¼ to ½ cup mayonnaise (NOT Miracle Whip, for chrissakes)
½ teaspoon dry mustard
¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ cup chopped blistered (and cooled) shishito peppers (see Recipe Notes)
1 jalapeño pepper, diced fine
½ teaspoon celery seed
Method
Couldn’t be easier. Mix all of the above together and taste. Add more of what you like, going slowly with the spice.
Chill for at least a couple of hours before serving. Keeps for at least a week in the ‘fridge if it lasts that long.
Recipe Notes
• I like to shred my cheeses fine using a food processor, and I use a mix of white and orange cheddar, one extra sharp and one just sharp. This is largely a matter of preference, and I would actually prefer all white cheddar but most people think bright orange when they think of pimento cheese, and I like to give the people what they want.
• To blister shishito peppers, a cast-iron skillet is the tool of choice but not strictly necessary. Over medium-high heat, heat a tablespoon of oil in the frying pan of choice (I used non-stick), then toss the peppers (intact, with the stems on) in the oil. Season with salt and pepper and give a stir to coat with oil, then leave them alone for minutes at a time. You are looking for charring in spots, so let them sit. Toss after a couple of minutes, then let them sit. Peppers are done when they are tender-crisp with burnt looking parts. Remove from heat and squeeze a little lemon juice on them. Eat a bunch of them, but save six or seven for pimento cheese.
• You can also use a jar of pimentos, drained and chopped. I just happened to have shishitos.