Directions: |
Directions:1 Prep: Adjust rack to top position (top and middle positions for 4 servings) and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash and dry produce. • Slice potatoes into ½-inch-thick wedges. Halve, peel, and thinly slice onion. Halve, core, and thinly slice apple. 2. Cook Potatoes & Bacon: Line a baking sheet with foil. Toss potatoes on one side of sheet with a drizzle of oil, half the Fry Seasoning (all for 4 servings), salt, and pepper. Add bacon* to empty side of sheet. (For 4, divide between two foil-lined sheets; roast potatoes on top rack and bacon on middle rack.) • Roast on top rack until bacon is crispy and cooked through, 15-20 minutes. Remove sheet from oven and transfer bacon to a cutting board. (For 4, leave potatoes roasting.) Return sheet to top rack; roast until potatoes are browned and tender, 5-10 minutes more. 3. Caramelize Onion: Meanwhile, heat a large drizzle of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and softened, 8-10 minutes. • Add 1 tsp sugar (2 tsp for 4 servings) and a splash of water. Cook, adding more splashes of water as necessary, until onion is caramelized and jammy, 2-3 minutes more. • Reduce heat to low and stir in half the cheddar (you’ll use the rest later) until melted. Remove pan from heat; season with salt and pepper. 4. Assemble Sandwiches: Layer half the sourdough slices with cheesy caramelized onion, bacon, and a few apple slices; top with Monterey Jack and remaining cheddar. • Top with remaining sourdough slices to create sandwiches. • Wash out pan used for onion (you’ll use it again in the next step). 5. Make Melts: Melt 1 TBSP butter in pan used for onion over medium heat. Add sandwiches and push around in pan until butter has absorbed. Cook until golden brown and cheese is slightly melted, 4-6 minutes. TIP: It’s OK if some cheese falls out of the sandwiches as they cook; those crispy bits are a tasty snack! • Add another 1 TBSP butter to pan, then flip sandwiches and push around again until butter has absorbed. Cook until golden brown and cheese melts, 4-6 minutes. (For 4 servings, work in batches or use a second large pan, using 1 TBSP butter per side for each batch.) TIP: If you have a heavy-bottomed pan, place on top of the sandwiches as they cook to help the cheese melt and the bread crisp up. 6. Finish & Serve: Halve melts on a diagonal and divide between plates. Serve with potato wedges and any remaining apple slices on the side. Bacon is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 145°. |