I have a guilty secret: my absolute favourite thing to eat is a hot dog.
Hot dogs may just be North America's most popular street meat, and gourmet dog restaurants and vendors are a common sight. Your choice of frankfurter or sausage is up to you, whether it be pork, beef or turkey, European, Bavarian smokie or bratwurst.
As for the bun, my favourite is a classic soft white bakery bun, untoasted, but it's all a matter of personal preference. As far as cooking goes, I like to use the Coney Island method: simmer the dog in well-seasoned water until it's tender, then give it a few minutes on the grill to crisp the skin. Perfection.
But everyone knows a great hot dog is all about the trimmings, and there are plenty to consider. I offer here a few ideas to spark your imagination. You can teach an old dog new tricks.
Cowboy Dawgs
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, cut into thin "half-moon" slices
4 hot dogs of your choice
4 hot dog buns of your choice
4 hot dog buns of your choice
6 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp spicy brown mustard (there are dozens of great mustards available, use whichever one appeals to you)
4 Tbsp hickory flavour barbeque sauce
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar
6 slices crisp-cooked bacon, crumbled
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat; add onion and cook until deep golden and very tender, stirring often, about twenty minutes. Grill hot dogs on medium hot grill, turning occasionally, until slightly charred all over.
Place split buns on the grill until warm and lightly toasted. Spread buns with mayonnaise and drizzle with mustard and barbeque sauce. Place hot dogs in buns and top with cheese, followed by onions and bacon. Makes four servings.
Coney Island Chili Dogs
½ lb lean ground beef
1 medium onion, finely chopped (divided use)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp chili powder
1½ tsp cumin
½ cup water
¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp yellow hot dog mustard, plus more for topping
1½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp brown sugar Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 hot dogs
4 hot dog buns
Shredded cheddar cheese for topping
Preheat oven to 350º; wrap buns in foil. In a large skillet over medium-high
heat, cook the beef, half of the onion and the garlic until the beef is cooked through, breaking meat up thoroughly as it cooks (a potato masher works well for this). Stir in the chili powder and cumin and cook for three minutes. Stir in the half cup of water, the tomato paste, mustard,
Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar. Bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat. Simmer until thickened, about twenty minutes. If the chili becomes too thick add more water, but remember this is supposed to be thinner than a regular chili you'd eat out of a bowl. Meanwhile, put the hot dogs
in a large saucepan of water and bring to a boil. Cook until the hot dogs are plump and heated through, about eight minutes. While the hot dogs are cooking, place the foiled-wrapped buns in the oven until they are heated through. When the hot dogs are cooked you can briefly broil or grill them until the skins are crispy or just serve them as they come out of the boiling water.
To serve, spread yellow mustard on the heated buns. Place the hot dogs in the buns and top with the chili, then the remaining chopped onion and the shredded cheese. Makes four servings.
Southern Slaw Pups
For the slaw:
½ cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp yellow mustard
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp liquid honey
5 heaping cups shredded green cabbage (or a mixture of red and green cabbage)
½ cup shredded carrots
1 Tbsp chopped green onion
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 hot dogs
4 hot dog buns
¼ cup salted sunflower seed kernels
To make the slaw, in a small bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, yellow mustard, Dijon mustard and honey; set aside.
In a large bowl mix together the cabbage, carrots and green onion; add the honey mustard mixture and toss to coat vegetables evenly with dressing. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. Grill or boil the hot dogs.
Slice the hot dog buns in half lengthwise but don't sever the tops from the bottoms. Lay some of the slaw in the bottom of each bun; add the hot dogs and top with additional yellow mustard. Top with the remaining slaw and sprinkle with the sunflower kernels. Makes four servings.
Angela Shellard is a self-described foodie. She has done informal catering for various functions. Contact: ashellard@hotmail.ca.
