Smoked Gouda/Pimento Spread

We buy a lot of our staple goods from a well-known warehouse-style big box store; but occasionally, we also find oddities there, and we often try them out. We found a tasty smoked Gouda cheese and pimento spread there a couple of years back, and liked it well enough to have repeated the purchase several times since then. There is a problem, however: the packaging.

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You see, that store only sells it in a package that contains about a quart of the spread, and that's a lot of pimento cheese for only two people! Even in the refrigerator, a spread like that has a limited shelf life, and eating it often enough to avoid spoilage kind of ruins the novelty.

Our solution was to learn to make it ourselves. I did the normal internet searches, in order to come up with ideas about how to formulate a recipe, and found several that seemed to fit the bill, but many of the recipes called for exotic ingredients, or just too many ingredients, for any impulsive cookery; and again, the quantities produced by the best-looking ones were much too large. We weren't looking to host a cocktail party - just to have a taste of something nice!

So, as often happens, I've come up with my own variant - and you are the beneficiary of my new-found culinary wisdom! Here's what you'll need to duplicate my success…

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Suggested Equipment:

• Mixing bowl, minimum 1 quart - 1 each.
  
• Grater - your preferred gauge
  
• Mixing spoon or fork
  
• Fine mesh tea strainer
  
• Common kitchen measures
  
• Storage container, sealable, minimum 10 to 12 oz, 1 each
  
• Garlic press (optional)
  

Ingredients:

1. Be sure to get smoked Gouda. It won't be the same with plain Gouda. Other recipes may specify a mix of cheeses, frequently Cheddar and/or cream cheese, but not this one.
   
2. This is an approximate weight. Actual weight of pre-cut Gouda wedges will likely be closer to 7½ ounces.
   
3. If fresh garlic is scarce, use ¼ tsp of dry, granulated garlic.
   
4. Optional. Some folks don't like onion in any form.
   
5. We like to substitute sour cream for up to half of this.
   

Item		Amount
Cheese	Gouda, smoked, wedge1	8	oz2
Pimento	Diced, in brine, 4 oz jar	1	ea
Sauce	Worcestershire	½	tsp
Garlic	Fresh clove, minced3	1	ea
Onion4	Dry, powder	¼	tsp
Cayenne	Dry, powder	¼	tsp
Mayonnaise5	Sugar-free preferred; e.g., Duke's® brand	½	cup

Directions:

1. Grate the cheese(s) into the mixing bowl.

2. Using the tea strainer, drain and rinse the diced pimento, then add it to the 2-quart mixing bowl. Depending on the size of the pieces, you may want to dice them a bit smaller.

3. If you are using fresh garlic, crush with the garlic press and mince. Add the garlic to the mixing bowl.

4. Add the mayonnaise (or sour cream, or both), cayenne powder, Worcestershire sauce, and - if you are using it, the onion powder - to the mixing bowl; and stir until the contents of the mixing bowl are thoroughly blended.

5. Fold in the grated cheese, a little at a time, and stir until fully incorporated.

6. Package the resulting spread in the sealable storage container, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before using.

This recipe yields about 2 cups of spread.

This spread is good on crackers or in a sandwich. Celery stalks aren't my favorite way to eat pimento cheese, but it'd probably work well there, too.

Finally, the spread needs to be used soon after mixing. Refrigeration is NOT long-term storage! Try to use it up within a week or two.