Hatch Chile Pimento Cheese BLT Sandwiches

When the whether gets to be scorching is also the time when Hatch chiles from Hatch, New Mexico come out to play. Over the years I've paid tribute to these green beauties not one, not two, not three, but FOUR times. 

This year I grabbed a modest amount (I need to go back for more) and roasted up three mild, two medium and one HOT Hatch chiles on the grill. My wonderful husband then peeled off the charred skins for me and I briefly pulsed them in the food processor and added them to things like my Herby Green Sauce and some more Hatch Chile Chicken Enchiladas. 

But what I was most excited about was pimento cheese. I've been on a total pimento cheese BLT kick all summer (baby Robison must be a fan). After a work dinner that quickly turned to pimento, my colleague from Georgia and others from the South all said that Duke's mayo is the best. I've never had it and haven't seen it in Austin, but they were nice enough to mail me a jar! They were right, you only need a few high quality ingredients and you'll have a delicious pimento cheese. I subbed in my chopped Hatch chiles for pimentos in this batch, but with the other half of the jar of mayo not yet used, I may have a traditional pimento cheese in my future!

Hatch Chile Pimento Cheese BLT Sandwiches

4 slices bacon (I like peppered bacon from the butcher's case)
12 ounces grated sharp cheddar (I do a mix of white and yellow cheddars)
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup chopped Hatch chiles or pimentos
3/4-1 cup mayonnaise (start with 3/4 and add more by the tablespoon to reach your desired consistency)
Salt and pepper, optional
8 slices bread of your choice (we kept it simple with wheat this time)
1 heirloom tomato, sliced
1 small avocado
Spinach or bibb lettuce

Cook your bacon to desired crispness (I like using the cast iron over medium to medium low heat, turning bacon often to prevent curling). 

While the bacon cooks, mix together the pimento cheese mixture. Combine grated cheese, chopped red onion, Hatch chiles or pimentos and mayo in a bowl. Since I was using peppered bacon, I didn't add any salt or pepper, but if you're using plain bacon you might want to add pepper, and if you're using no bacon, you may want to add a pinch of salt too.

Toast bread. Spread on about 1/4 cup pimento cheese and top with a piece of bacon, tomato slices, avocado and greens. Enjoy!