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Created by Chef Remy
Sharp cheddar pimento cheese spread thick on golden toasted bread, crowned with shatteringly crisp bacon and fresh chives, the kind of appetizer that disappears before you can set the platter down.
Pimento cheese is the pâté of the South, and I will not hear otherwise. This humble spread, made from sharp cheddar, good mayonnaise, and those sweet little pimento peppers, has graced tables from church suppers to white-tablecloth restaurants for generations. My grandmother Evangeline kept a crock of it in her icebox at all times, ready for unexpected company or a hungry grandson wandering through the kitchen.
The secret to great pimento cheese is freshly grated cheddar. That pre-shredded stuff from the bag is coated in powder to keep it from clumping, and it will never melt into that creamy, spreadable texture you want. Take the five extra minutes. Grate it yourself. Your hands will know the difference the moment you start folding it together.
Now, putting this cheese on a crostini with crispy bacon is pure Louisiana hospitality. At Lagniappe, we serve these at every cocktail hour, and they vanish faster than I can bring out another tray. The crunch of the toasted bread, the rich tang of the cheese, the smoky saltiness of the bacon: every bite gives you something different. That's what good food does. It keeps you interested from the first taste to the last crumb on the plate.
Quantity
1
cut into 1/2-inch slices (about 24 slices)
Quantity
3 tablespoons
Quantity
8 ounces
freshly grated
Quantity
4 ounces
softened
Quantity
1/2 cup
Quantity
1 jar (4 ounces)
drained
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
Quantity
1/4 teaspoon, plus more to taste
Quantity
1/4 teaspoon
Quantity
1/4 teaspoon
freshly cracked
Quantity
1/4 teaspoon
Quantity
8 slices
Quantity
2 tablespoons
finely sliced
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| French baguettecut into 1/2-inch slices (about 24 slices) | 1 |
| extra-virgin olive oil | 3 tablespoons |
| sharp cheddar cheesefreshly grated | 8 ounces |
| cream cheesesoftened | 4 ounces |
| mayonnaise | 1/2 cup |
| diced pimentosdrained | 1 jar (4 ounces) |
| garlic powder | 1/2 teaspoon |
| cayenne pepper | 1/4 teaspoon, plus more to taste |
| smoked paprika | 1/4 teaspoon |
| black pepperfreshly cracked | 1/4 teaspoon |
| kosher salt | 1/4 teaspoon |
| thick-cut bacon | 8 slices |
| fresh chivesfinely sliced | 2 tablespoons |
Lay your bacon strips in a cold cast iron skillet. Starting cold is the secret here: the fat renders slowly and evenly, leaving you with bacon that shatters when you bite it instead of bending like rubber. Set the pan over medium heat and let those strips work their magic. Flip them when the edges start curling and the underside turns golden, about five minutes per side. You want deep mahogany color and a kitchen that smells like Sunday morning.
Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and let it drain for a minute. The strips should be stiff enough to snap cleanly when you break them. Once cool enough to handle, crumble them into rough pieces, some the size of a pencil eraser, some smaller. Set aside. Imperfect crumbles look more honest on the plate.
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Arrange the baguette slices in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush the tops generously with olive oil. You want enough to soak in and crisp up, not just a timid suggestion of fat. Bake for eight to ten minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the edges turn golden and the centers still have just a touch of give. They should crunch when you tap them but not shatter your teeth.
In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and mayonnaise. Beat them together with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until completely smooth, no lumps hiding anywhere. This is your foundation. If the cream cheese fights you, let it sit at room temperature another ten minutes. Forcing cold cream cheese just makes a mess.
Add the garlic powder, cayenne, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt to the cream cheese mixture. Stir to incorporate. Now here's where you taste. Dip a clean spoon, try it, and adjust. Want more heat? Add another pinch of cayenne. The spices need to wake up the richness, not hide behind it. At Lagniappe, I always tell my cooks: season, taste, adjust. That's the bayou way.
Add the freshly grated cheddar to the bowl. Grating your own makes all the difference because pre-shredded cheese is coated with cellulose that prevents proper melding. Fold everything together until the cheddar is evenly distributed. Add the drained pimentos and fold again gently. You want to see those little red jewels throughout, not mashed into oblivion.
Give the finished pimento cheese one more taste. The flavors will develop as it sits, but you want it well-seasoned now. Cover and refrigerate for at least thirty minutes. This resting time lets the cheese firm up slightly and allows all those seasonings to get acquainted. You can make this up to three days ahead.
Spread each toasted crostini generously with pimento cheese, about a tablespoon per slice. Do not be stingy. The bread can handle it, and your guests will thank you. Pile the bacon crumbles on top, pressing them gently into the cheese so they stay put. Scatter fresh chives over everything. Arrange on a platter and serve while the bacon still has its crunch.
1 serving (about 40g)
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