Pimento Cheese Mashed Potatoes
If you want an indulgent side dish that departs from the classic mashed potatoes with butter and cream, this is it. I usually stick to simplicity when it comes to vegetables, but I gotta admit, pimento cheese is pretty damn good addition. It adds a little bit of acidity and flavor to the potato’s blank canvas. If you decide to serve these potatoes with some good ol’ southern country cooking, like chicken fried steak, then it counterbalances the richness of the gravy nicely.
You can buy store-bought pimento cheese to make this quick and effortless, but if you want the real deal, I’d encourage you to try Sean Brock’s recipe from his cookbook, Heritage.
Pimento Cheese Mashed Potatoes
4
Ingredients
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
¼ cup salted butter
1 cup pimento cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Add a few pinches of coarse sea salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat as needed to maintain a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes.
- Add the butter and pimento cheese to the bottom of a large bowl. Use a slotted spoon to scoop out the potatoes and pass them through a potato ricer into the bowl on top of the butter and cheese. If you don’t have a potato ricer, you can strain the water and mash the potatoes in the bowl with a masher.
- Use a spatula or large spoon and stir until the cheese has melted and is fully incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm until ready to serve.
