Caramelized Onion and Apple Crostini
Prep time
35 mins
Cook time
5 mins
Total time
40 mins
Serves: 20
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked over night or soaked in boiling water for 1 hour*
- 1 tablespoons lemon juice, about ¼ of a lemon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- pinch of pepper
- 4-7 tablespoons plain unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 onions, diced small
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 sweet apples such as gala, fuji, or golden delicious, diced small
- 2 tablespoons honey or pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1 baguette, sliced into ¾ inch pieces (sourdough or ciabatta, nothing too soft or fluffy)
- additional olive oil for bread
- ½ cup smoked gouda or gruyere cheese, shredded (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare cashew cream by placing drained cashews, lemon juice, salt, 4 tablespoons of almond milk and a generous pinch of pepper in a high speed blender. Blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides every so often and adding additional almond milk as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time. You want the consistency to be spreadable but not runny. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Add onions and salt and sauté, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes until onions turn a light caramel colour.
- Add diced apples, honey, and thyme to the frying pan and sauté an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust by adding more salt if necessary, and/or more honey, depending on the sweetness of your apples.
- While the apple and onion mixture is cooking, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Slice baguette and brush each side of the bread with olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5 minutes.
- Remove from oven and top each baguette with a heaping teaspoon of cashew cream and a scant tablespoon of apple and onion mixture. If using cheese, add a sprinkle of cheese as well.
- Return to oven and bake for 3-5 minutes, or until cheese has melted and they’re heated through. (If you’ve made everything ahead of time and it’s not already warm, turn oven down to 375 and bake for 7-10 minutes).
- Serve hot!
- This should make about 20 crostini.
Notes
*To soak cashews, place in a bowl and fill with water one inch above cashew line. Soak overnight or at least 8 hours. Alternatively, place in a bowl and fill with boiling water and let sit for at least 1 hour.
