Millie’s E. Street Pimiento Cheese Recipe
Our soon-to-be-famous pimiento cheese is made with our own black olive tapenade and special blend of white cheeses. Great on crackers or pretzel bread sticks.
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Ingredients
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Pimiento Cheese Base
Black Olive Tapenade (E. Street touch)
Garnish & Serving
Method
Black Olive Tapenade (E. Street touch)
Make the tapenade
Combine the pitted black olives, rinsed capers, minced garlic, parsley, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes in a food processor. Pulse in 6–8 short bursts until mixture is coarsely chopped but still has texture (do not purée into a paste). With the processor running briefly, drizzle in the 2 tablespoons olive oil until the tapenade comes together. Scrape into a small bowl and taste; adjust salt or lemon as needed. Reserve 3 tablespoons of tapenade to swirl into and top the finished pimiento cheese; keep remaining tapenade refrigerated for another use.
Pimiento Cheese Base
Prepare cheeses
Finely shred the sharp white cheddar and Monterey Jack so they are similar in texture. Place in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine.
Soften cream cheese
If your cream cheese is cold, microwave in 5–8 second bursts until easily scoopable but not melted (about 10–15 seconds total depending on power).
Mix base ingredients
Add the softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, and creme fraiche (or sour cream) to the bowl with the shredded cheeses. Use a sturdy rubber spatula or hand mixer on low speed and fold until evenly combined and creamy.
Add flavor components
Fold in the finely chopped pimientos, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, hot sauce (if using), kosher salt, and cracked black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning — add a pinch more salt or a few drops of hot sauce if you prefer more heat.
Incorporate tapenade
Reserve about 3 tablespoons of the tapenade for marbling and garnish. Fold the remaining tapenade (about 2–3 tbs) into the pimiento cheese mixture until distributed in streaks. Do not overmix; you want little ribbons of olive flavor throughout.
Chill
Transfer the pimiento cheese to a serving bowl or shallow dish. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to let flavors meld and the texture firm up. For best flavor, refrigerate 3–4 hours or overnight.
Garnish & Serve
Finish and serve
Before serving, dollop the reserved 3 tablespoons of tapenade on top and use the back of a spoon to create a shallow swirl so the tapenade sits on the surface. Sprinkle the top with smoked paprika, chopped chives or green onion, and a light crack of black pepper. Serve chilled or at cool room temperature with crackers, pretzel bread sticks, or sliced baguette.
Storage: Store any leftover pimiento cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days. The tapenade will keep separately for up to a week refrigerated.