Seriously Sharp Grilled Cheese with Gazpacho Shooters #BrunchWeek #Sponsor

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #BrunchWeek. I received product samples 
from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the #Brunchweek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

Here we are at day two of an amazing week of recipes to inspire your brunch menus from appetizers to libations.

Many, many thanks to Terri of Love and Confections and Christie of A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures for coordinating, wrangling, managing, and inspiring all of us!

You can go to this post to read more about the sponsors, the prizes, and to enter the giveaway!

Today's recipe uses ingredients from one of the event sponsors, Cabot Cheese. The only tough decision was deciding which one to use!

Before I get on with the recipe, I want to talk about the cheese grater I received from Cabot Cheese. When I first looked at it, I thought: oh, it's cute, but I won't use that. I have so many cheese graters. But it turns out I was wrong. It's the perfect size for grating and - here's the best part - it's easy to clean because it's completely open on the back, unlike my box grater that is a torture to clean. So excited to use this! 

My favorite thing to eat with grilled cheese is tomato soup. So, I decided to pair my Seriously Sharp Grilled Cheese with Gazpacho Shooters. Originating in the Spanish region of Andalusia, but popular all over the Iberian Peninsula, gazpacho is a soup made of raw vegetables and served chilled. More of a drink than a soup, this version has no bread and is a creamy, salmon color rather than a dull lipstick red. 

Ingredients

Gazpacho

• 2 pounds ripe red tomatoes, cubed
• 1 bell pepper (I used an orange bell), seeded and cut into chunks
• 1 cucumber, about 8 inches long, peeled and roughly cut into chunks
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled
• 2 t balsamic vinegar, more to taste
• fleur de sel
• ½ C olive oil + more to taste
• 1 t raw honey, if needed
• Also needed: food processor or blender, fine mesh strainer, glasses for serving
• flowers for garnish, optional (I used organic calendula blossoms)

Grilled Cheese

• bread (I used regular whole wheat and gluten-free whole grain bread so my husband could enjoy some)
• butter
• grated cheese (I used the Seriously Sharp Cheddar from Cabot)

Procedure

Gazpacho
Work in batches, if necessary. Combine tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, and garlic in a food processor or blender. Blend until very smooth, at least 2 minutes.

With the motor running, pour in the vinegar and 2 teaspoons fleur de sel. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil. The mixture will turn bright orange or dark pink and become smooth and emulsified, like a salad dressing. If it still seems watery, drizzle in more olive oil until texture is creamy. At this point, there was something really bitter about mine, so I added in a tad of honey.

Strain the mixture through a strainer or a food mill, pushing all the liquid through with a spatula or wooden spoon. Discard the solids. Adjust seasoning with salt and vinegar, as needed. Transfer to a glass pitcher or jar and chill until very cold, at least 6 hours or overnight.

Serve in glasses, over ice if desired. You can also add a few drops of olive oil and vinegar on top before serving.

Grilled Cheese

Melt butter in a skillet or grill pan on low heat. Butter your bread on one side and place it butter side down on the hot pan. Add more cheese, then top it all with another slice of buttered bread – this time with the butter side up.

  

Once the cheese begins to melt on the bottom half of the sandwich, check the bread. It should be crisped and turning brown. Flip the sandwich over and grill till, again, the bottom cheese is melted and bread crispy. Remove sandwich to a cutting board and slice in half. The gluten-free breads were already small, so I didn't halve those. Serve immediately.

Take a look at what the #BrunchWeek Bloggers are creating today!

BrunchWeek Beverages:

Apple Berry Smoothie from The Nifty Foodie

Apple Brunch Punch from Cooking With Carlee

BrunchWeek Breads, Grains and Pastries:

Apple Danish Braid from The Redhead Baker

Berry & Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast with Citrus-Apple-Berry Compote from Sweet Beginnings

Breakfast Empanadas from Jane's Adventures in Dinner

Buckwheat and Pepper Jack Waffles from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures

Cinnamon Apple Dutch Baby from Palatable Pastime

Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal Bake from The Chef Next Door

English Muffins from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Iced Berry Breakfast Braid from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

Raspberry Sweet Rolls from Cookaholic Wife

The Best Yeasted Wafffles from The Barbee Housewife

BrunchWeek Main Dishes:

Asparagus Pizza from Feeding Big

Asparagus, Egg & Prosciutto Brunch Pizza from Love and Confections

Seriously Sharp Grilled Cheese with Gazpacho Shooters from Culinary Adventures with Camilla

BrunchWeek Fruits, Vegetables and Sides:

Green Bean and Potato Salad from A Day in the Life on the Farm

Individual Swiss and Asparagus Tarts from Family Around the Table

Mesclun Salad with Grilled Asparagus & Raspberries from Hardly A Goddess

Sweet Potato Hash from Brunch-n-Bites

BrunchWeek Desserts:

Mini Rustic Apple Pies from Forking Up

Disclaimer: Thank you to #BrunchWeek Sponsors: Red Star Yeast, Dixie Crystals, Cabot Cheese, Nielsen-Massey, Rainier Fruit, and Michigan Asparagus for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #BrunchWeek recipes. All opinions are my own. The #BrunchWeek giveaway is open to U.S. residents, age 18 & up. All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Six winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. The #BrunchWeek Bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or any other social channel mentioned in the #Brunchweek posts or entry.