Caramelized Onion, Apple and Cheese Crostini

Yesterday, I decided to throw together a quick lunch for him. "Throw" is the operative word here. I threw a slice of frozen bread (yup, you read that right) in a frying pan, put a slice of cheddar on top, popped another frozen bread slice on top, squished it all down with a flipper until the cheese melted, and I passed it to him on a plate with a few lonely cherry tomatoes.

You'd think a food blogger could have done a little better than that. For someone who spends an inordinate amount of time in the kitchen, couldn't I have come up with something a little more interesting or adventurous?

But still, he thanked me and told me it was really good. xoxo

So today I made him a more upscale grilled cheese sandwich. I caramelized onions and apples and arranged them on thinly sliced baguette slices. After topping them with cheddar cheese, I baked them in the oven until the cheese was melted.

🔪 Instructions

1. Start by caramelizing the onions. Over low to medium heat, heat oil and add onions and a pinch of salt. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally. Once tender and translucent, add a pinch of sugar and a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar to start the caramelization process.
2. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the onions are a deep golden colour. Depending on the type of onion you use (as they all caramelize at different rates based on their natural sugar content) this may take up to 40 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, peel and core the apples. Slice very thinly and cut into small pieces so they won't fall off the crostini. Toss with brown sugar and cinnamon.
4. Heat oil in a skillet. When hot, add the apples and stir. Cook just until apples are tender. Remove from the heat.
5. Heat oven to 350°F. Lay the sliced baguette or cracker on a baking sheet. Top with a small spoonful of the caramelized onions, a spoonful of the caramelized apples, and top with a thin slice of cheese. Bake for approximately 5 minutes or until cheese has melted.
6. Serve warm, garnished with a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves.

This Caramelized Onion, Apple and Cheese Crostini is full of caramelized flavour and ooey-gooey cheesy goodness. It has that salty and sweet contrast that I crave.

This Crostini recipe is one of my favourite appetizers to make, as the components can all be made in advance and quickly assembled just before serving. Not only that, but it works equally well served on a baguette slice or a gluten-free cracker.

Hope you like it, too!

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