Apple, Cheddar and Caramelized Onion Sandwich

We've been blessed with a pretty awesome fall here in upstate New York.  Lots of sun, temperatures in the 60's and 70's with zero humidity and no bugs.  Every weekend has been met with some sort of outdoor activity, be it canoeing in the Adirondacks, biking in the Catskills or hiking in the Heldeberg mountains.
After a grueling hike or bike ride that has kicked my ass so hard I can barely walk, there is nothing more that I enjoy that tipping back a cold beer and shoving food in my face. Lately, my new favorite post outdoor workout meal of choice has been this apple, cheddar and caramelized onion sandwich.  In case you've been living under a rock, there are a gazillion delicious apple varieties at the markets right now and they love being pared with a really sharp cheddar.  I could eat this combination as a snack, but piling this on a nice crusty baguette with a handful of arugula, some caramelized onions and a smear of coarse mustard is where it's at.



Apple, Cheddar and Caramelized Onion Sandwich

Baguette
Sharp cheddar, thinly sliced
a nice crisp apple, thinly sliced
arugula
coarse mustard
caramelized onions*

To make caramelized onions, thinly slice 4-5 medium onions. Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a wide, heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat.  Add the onions and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper and give them a stir.  After they have softened up a bit, turn the heat down to low and cook until the onions are really soft, stirring every couple minutes (this should take about 30 minutes or so).  If your onions start to stick, just add a small splash of water and give them a stir.  When your onions are super tender and golden brown in color, remove from the heat and set aside to cool. 

To assemble the sandwich, cut the baguette into your desired sandwich size, slice it open and smear each side with some grainy mustard. Next spread each side with some caramelized onions. Place a handful of arugula on the bottom half, followed by some thinly apples and the cheese.