Smoked Gouda & Monterey Jack Grilled Cheese

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel and thinly slice the shallot. Thinly slice the mushrooms. Thinly slice the gouda. If you received a block of monterey jack, thinly slice. Cut out and discard the core of the cabbage; medium dice the leaves. Thinly slice the cucumbers into rounds. Combine in a large bowl. 

Place the sliced shallot in a medium heatproof bowl. In a small pot, combine the sugar, vinegar, and 1/4 cup of water; season with salt and pepper. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, carefully transfer to the bowl of sliced shallot. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally, at least 10 minutes. 

While the shallot cools, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced mushrooms in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until browned and softened. Turn off the heat. 

Reserving 2 tablespoons of the pickling liquid, drain the pickled shallot. Assemble the sandwiches using the bread, sliced gouda, monterey jack, pickled shallot, and cooked mushrooms; season with salt and pepper. Wipe out the pan used to cook the mushrooms. In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium until hot. Add the sandwiches; loosely cover the pan with foil. Cook 2 to 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and the cheese is melted (if the pan seems dry, add a drizzle of olive oil before flipping). Transfer to a cutting board and immediately season with salt. Carefully halve on an angle. 

While the sandwiches cook, to the bowl of prepared cabbage and cucumber, add the reserved pickling liquid and mustard. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Stir to coat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the cooked sandwiches with the slaw on the side. Enjoy!