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best recipes                                        The Lee Brothers’ Pimento Cheese

• Yield About 1 1/2 cups, enough for 4 sandwiches
• Time 5 minutes

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A decidedly Southern spread with Northern roots, pimento cheese is a simple mix of Cheddar, red bell pepper and mayonnaise that can be found on sandwiches from work sites to garden parties across the 16 states below the Mason-Dixon line. This recipe came to The Times from the Charleston, S.C.-bred cookbook authors and occasional contributors to The Times Matt Lee and Ted Lee.

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Ingredients

• 8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated with a food processor or hand grater (not pre-grated)
• ¼ cup softened cream cheese (2 ounces), pulled into several pieces
• Scant 1/2 cup jarred pimento or other roasted red peppers (from a 7-ounce jar), finely diced
• 3 tablespoons Duke’s, Hellmann’s or other high-quality store-bought mayonnaise
• ½ teaspoon dried red chile flakes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation

1. In a large mixing bowl, place the cheddar cheese in an even layer. Scatter the cream cheese, pimentos, mayonnaise and chile flakes over the cheddar cheese. Using a spatula, mix the pimento cheese until it is smooth and spreadable, about 1 1/2 minutes.
2. Transfer the pimento cheese to a plastic container or bowl, cover tightly, and store in the refrigerator. Pimento cheese keeps in the refrigerator for 1 week.