Parker & Otis' Pimento Cheese (+ Grilled Sandwiches with Bacon & Tomato)
Genius Recipes
Photo by James Ransom
- Serves
- 12 as dip or 6 as sandwiches
- Prep Time
- 35 Minutes
Pimento cheese is, at its core, nothing but tufts of unmelted cheese, a cushion of mayonnaise, and chopped pimentos. Stir together a batch to keep it in the fridge all week -- to stuff in brown-bag sandwiches, on your favorite crackers, in the crook of a celery stick. Parker & Otis in Durham, NC also uses it to make a jaw-dropping upgrade to a grilled cheese with bacon and tomato. Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit. Sandwich fan? Tune into our podcast, The Sandwich Universe, where co-hosts and longtime BFFs Molly Baz and Declan Bond debate and cook up iconic sandwiches every ‘wich way.
Ingredients
Pimiento Cheese Dip
- 2 cup sharp yellow cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about 8 ounces)
- 2 cup extra-sharp white cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about 8 ounces)
- 1 cup drained pimentos or roasted red peppers, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- To serve: crackers, baguette slices, assorted raw vegetables
Grilled Pimento Cheese Sandwiches with Bacon & Tomato
- Pimento Cheese Dip (above)
- 12 slices sourdough bread
- 12 slices bacon, cooked till crisp
- 1 large, ripe tomato, sliced
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Directions
Pimiento Cheese Dip
- Step 1
Mix ingredients in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover; chill. Transfer dip to serving bowl. Surround with crackers, baguette slices, and vegetables. Alternately, make sandwiches (below).
Grilled Pimento Cheese Sandwiches with Bacon & Tomato
- Step 1
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread pimento cheese on 6 of the slices of sourdough. Top the cheese for each sandwich with 2 slices of bacon, 1 slice of tomato, then a second slice of bread. Toast each sandwich in a large skillet over low heat till golden brown on both sides, flipping as needed.
- Step 2
Transfer sandwiches to a baking sheet in the oven to finish warming through and melt the cheese. Serve hot.