Relish the Relish - Two Hot Dog Toppers

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's a miracle that any of us raised in the 40's and 50's lived to tell the tale. We biked without helmets, skated without knee pads and rode shotgun without seat belts. Folks were not yet health conscious and, unless your mother was a dietician, pantry shelves sagged under the weight of newly introduced dips, chips and spreads. Casseroles ruled the day and a quick dinner of hot dogs and chips was not unusual. One of the treats of the time was a cheese stuffed hot dog wrapped in bacon. When I stumbled on a recipe for them written by Emeril Lagasse , I really had to laugh. The lowly hot dog had come full circle. As bad as these might be for you, they are delicious, and had Proust sampled one, culinary literature might forever have been changed. Over the next few days, folks are going to consume a lot of hot dogs, so, I thought this would be a good time to share some recipes for condiments to serve with them. As it happens, I have two recipes for relish that I think you'll enjoy. They are easy to make and will allow you to put your own stamp on the hot dogs you serve this holiday weekend. Here's how they're made.

Cranberry and Sauerkraut Relish...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home Magazine

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 cup sauerkraut, rinsed and drained

Directions:

In a small saucepan, saute onion in oil until tender. Add cranberry sauce, mustard, sugar, garlic powder and pepper sauce. Cook and stir for 5-10 minutes or until cranberry sauce is melted. Add sauerkraut; heat through. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate Yield: 1-1/2 cups.

Quick Pickle Relish...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Michael Chiarello

Ingredients:
1 cup diced dill pickle
1/4 cup hot/sweet mustard
1 tablespoon pickle brine
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
Optional: 1 teaspoon drained, chopped pimento

Directions:
Combine all ingredients, stir and serve with hot dogs or hamburgers.







One Year Ago Today: Red Pepper Relish















Two Years Ago Today: Parmesan Crisps








You might also enjoy these recipes:
Sweet or Savory Pickle Relish - Cooking with Corey
Sweet Pickle Relish - Stefani's Cooking Spot
Dill Pickle Relish - The Tasty Kitchen
Corn Relish - Simply Recipes
Pickled Pepper Relish - One Perfect Bite

Sonoran Hot Dog

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is the type of recipe that will cause hardcore foodies to bristle and run for the exits. True, hot dogs are not the stuff of which their dreams are made, so I can't blame them. There are, however, occasions when nothing is quite as satisfying as good old-fashioned grub, so, I'll clear a path and hold the doors for them as they leave the room. I've been mulling what to make for Super Bowl Sunday and I've finally got a fix on what I want to serve. Last year, I did variations of those dishes I lovingly call Asian junk food. There were plates of egg rolls, crab rangoon, barbecued pork and dumplings, as well as bowls of fried noodles served with a warm apricot dipping sauce. This year, mainly because Chinese New Year is also barrelling down on us, I decided I'd head down Mexico way and do a Southwestern feast. Robb Walsh developed a recipe for Sonoran hot dogs that I've wanted to try for the longest time and I thought they'd be perfect for Super Bowl Sunday. I did a test run tonight and am comfortable enough with the results to share the recipe with you. This is a dish that is, for the most part, assembled rather than cooked. You'll have to heat the oven and a frying pan, but the time consuming elements of this dish can be purchased ready made and simply layered into warm and waiting buns. I have access to Mexican bakeries where bolillos, the Mexican version of a torpedo roll, can be purchased. They are a perfect bun for this outrageous hot dog. They are thick enough to hold ingredients without disintegrating, but small enough to prevent the filling from being upstaged by the bread. I realize that most of you don't have access to specialty bakeries, so the best route for you to take is to buy sturdy, but soft, buns that are approximately the same size as your hot dogs. As long as the hot dogs don't sit too long before serving you'll be fine. Good hot dogs are important and those that "answer to a higher authority" would be an excellent choice to use here. You will also find these much easier to make if you use a really thin-sliced bacon. Hassles with layering can be avoided if you have everything set to go before you begin cooking the hot dogs. The original recipe calls for pan grilling the wieners on a comal, the griddle on which tortillas are cooked. I cooked mine under the oven broiler to simplify things and contain the mess. It works perfectly, as long as you rotate the hot dogs so all their surfaces cook. I really think you'll like these. I hope you'll give them a try. Here's the recipe.

Sonoran Hot Dogs...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Robb Walsh

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Tabasco or other hot sauce
Juice of 1 large lemon
8 all-beef wieners (fat ones work better than long ones)
8 slices extra-thin bacon
8 torpedo rolls or bolillos
1/2 cup warm refried beans
1 cup guacamole
1/2 cup grated jack or cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup Salsa Verde

Directions:
1) Mix mayonnaise, Tabasco, and lemon juice and put into a squeeze bottle.
2) Wrap hot dogs with bacon slices, covering completely. Grill or broil them, rolling hot dogs until bacon is crunchy on all sides, about 7 minutes.
3) Cut a pocket into buns to form a "boat" and toast them in oven or on a grill.
4) When hot dogs are cooked, divide beans and guacamole among eight rolls, spooning them inside pocket and spreading on either side of rolls. Spread cheese down the middle. Using tongs put one piping-hot bacon-wrapped hot dog into pocket of each roll. Top each with onions and tomatoes. Spread Salsa Verde across top. Apply mayonnaise blend in squiggles over tops of hot dogs. Yield: 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Chimichanga Dogs - Girlichef
Dogzilla Hot Dogs - Mrs. Regueiro's Plate
Andersen Hot Dogs: Gourmet Style - Kalle Bergman's Honest Cooking
Seriously Scandinavian: Hot Dogs from the Cold North - Kalle Bergman's Honest Cooking
Chicago Red Hots - Food Nerd Ciao
Ultimate Bacon Cheese Dogs - Gourmet Mom on the Go
Spicy Mango-Pineapple Hot Dogs - Coconut and Lime
Coney Dogs - Real Mom Kitchen
Fancy Hot Dogs - Simply Recipes
Classic Chicago Hot Dog - Easy and Tasty Food

Hot dog lovers will want to see this feature in Bon Appetit: Global Hot Dog Guide