Begin this recipe by preparing your Hatch Green Chilies. If bought fresh, wash them and roast them over an open flame, such as a grill (gas | wood | charcoal), BBQ or even a gas burner, turning them frequently. The idea is to blister the skin of the chili pepper, roasting the flesh and not burning them to a crisp. Once evenly charred on all sides, place into a plastic bag or stainless steel bowl covered tightly with plastic wrap. This will allow the Hatch Green Chilies to sweat | steam, loosening the skin from the flesh of the peppers, making them easier to peel. If you buy jarred or canned versions of Hatch Chilies, then drain them of their juice.
Place all but 2 of the roasted, peeled, and seeded Hatch Green Chilies into the bowl of a food processor. Add peeled roasted garlic, cilantro, oregano, oil (avocado or olive), ground coriander and cumin seeds (preferably toasted), freshly squeezed lime juice and salt.
Add the room temperature cream cheese, along with the White Miso Malt Vinegar Mayonnaise or Hatch Green Chili Mayonnaise ( for an extra kick of Hatch Green Chili flavor. Pulse a few more times to just incorporate the ingredients together, still keeping some texture to the spread.
Grate the extra sharp cheddar cheese.
I used a larger | course side of a box grater to get a better final texture to the Green Pimento Cheese Spread.
Add the grated cheese to the bowl of the food processor. Chop the 2 remaining Hatch Green Chilies with a knife into medium size pieces, adding them to the bowl and re-lid.
Pulse the motor, to just incorporate the extra sharp cheddar cheese, making the final spread | dip an even shade of green.
Transfer the Green Pimento Cheese Spread to a seal-able jar, such as a quart-size Mason jar or another container, seal and refrigerate for preferably 24 hours. This will give the Green Pimento Cheese Spread time to infuse all the flavors evenly, throughout the final spread. Then it is ready to serve. This recipe will last for up to 2 weeks refrigerated.
Recipe Notes
Green Pimento Cheese Spread Recipe Variations:
If you are not a fan of cilantro, substitute Italian Leaf Parsley in its place or just leave it out
Not a fan of mayonnaise? Substitute equal portions of either sour cream or Greek-style plain yogurt, or a 50/50 blend of the two.
Try using Monterrey Pepper Jack, Oaxaca cheese or a plain white cheddar for the extra sharp cheddar cheese