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HOT DIGGITY DOG(s) by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan
May 24, 2022
I’m kicking off Summer with a Memorial Day hot dog party.
Save the grill for the burgers, this is all stove-side prepared. Choose any kind of hot dog you want; the variety is impressive these days. Go chicken, all beef, vegan or traditional ‘Fenway Frank’. The toppings are the party here, so have some fun! I’m going to present 4-themed ‘dogs’ with corresponding toppings, but feel free to improvise to suit your palate and whimsy. Of note: This does involve prepping and organizing different ingredients, but I have simplified the prep by using mostly pre-pared items. For example, I encourage you to procure pre-made mac n’ cheese and cooked crumbled bacon. And so on and so forth...... (Disclaimer!! I do provide a recipe for making your own corn-mango-lime salsa. Just a bit of preparation here with B-I-G flavorful results!)
- Prep: 1 hrs
- Cook: 1 hrs
- Yields: 8-12
Ingredients
Mac n’ Cheese Dog with Crumbled Bacon
(For 4 dogs)
1-pound/pint prepared mac n’ cheese from Foodie’s Hot Bar (you’ll likely have some leftover mac n’
cheese)
4 ounces cooked crumbled bacon
Fresh ground black pepper
4 hot dogs: your choice
4 buns: your choice
Korean Dog
(For 4 dogs)
1⁄4 cup Gochujang paste
3⁄4 cup kimchi drained and roughly chopped 2 tablespoons sliced scallion greens
Optional: 1 cup puffed rice cereal
4 hot dogs: your choice
4 buns: your choice
Southwestern Dog
(For 4 dogs)
1 can refried beans, your favorite (my favorite is Amy’s)
1⁄2 cup prepared queso sauce-(my favorite brand is Frontera)
1 cup Fritos (or another brand) corn chips, lightly crushed
2 tablespoons sliced scallion greens
4 hot dogs: your choice
4 buns: your choice
A Little Bit Indian Dog
(For 4 dogs)
Garnish: 1 cup prepared popcorn (have you tried Lesser Evil popcorn? It’s my new favorite brand!)
Ingredients:
1 cup mango-lime-corn relish
3⁄4 cup diced mango- can buy prepared mango pieces from Foodie’s produce department or use
1⁄2 fresh mango that you prepare yourself
1⁄2 cup frozen, organic corn, defrosted (or cook 2 ears of fresh corn and remove the kernels when cool
enough to handle)
1 lime – juice and 2 teaspoons of grated rind combined together 2 tablespoons very finely minced
shallots
1 tablespoon honey
1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper 4 hot dogs: your choice
4 buns: your choice
Directions
Preparations
Begin by rinsing all the hot dogs you are going to use under cold running water. Put into a pot and bring to a simmer. Do not salt the water—the ‘dogs’ are salty enough. Simmer for 8-12 minutes or until the ‘dogs’ are heated through. Remove to a cutting board and pat dry with a cloth or towel. Next, I made a long slice down the center of each hot dog. This will enable some of the toppings to sit inside the dog instead of just rolling off. Prepare the buns: toast them if you’d like or just slice them open and get them ready.
Mac n’ Cheese Dog
In the microwave, re-heat the prepared mac n’ cheese and briefly warm up the crumbled bacon.
To serve: put a sliced hot dog in a bun and spoon 2-3 tablespoons of mac n’ cheese down the center. Season with fresh ground black pepper. Top with warmed crumbled bacon.
Korean Dog
Put the gochujang paste in a small bowl and add 3 tablespoons of cold water and mix thoroughly.
You want to thin out the paste to a ketchup-like consistency. You may need to add a couple more tablespoons of water. Set aside.
Drain the kimchi of excess liquid and roughly chop. Put into another bowl and set aside. (The kimchi will be better at room temperature, so give it a few seconds in the microwave if necessary.) Chop the scallion greens and set aside.
Measure out a scant cup of puffed rice and set aside. To serve: put a prepared hot dog in a bun and spoon a couple tablespoons of gochujang paste over the ‘dog’. Lay a couple tablespoons of kimchi on top, add some chopped scallions and
garnish with crispy puffed rice.
Southwestern Dog
In separate bowls, reheat the refried beans and the queso sauce. Gently crush a scant cup of Fritos
and set aside. Slice scallions, about 2 tablespoons and set aside. To serve: Put the prepared hotdog in a bun, spread 2 tablespoons of refried beans down the length of the ‘dog’ and then spoon queso sauce on top. Add sliced scallions and garnish with a generous topping of crushed Fritos.
A little Bit of Indian Dog
Mango-corn-lime-cilantro relish preparation: In a bowl, combine all the ingredients together, except for the olive oil, cilantro, salt, and pepper.
Stir to combine and drizzle in the olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning with a bit of kosher salt and black pepper, if needed. Stir in the chopped fresh cilantro. To Serve: Put the prepared hotdog in a bun and spoon a generous amount of relish on top. Garnish with popcorn.
Arrange all the prepared hotdogs on a platter and bring to the table. Serve with extra napkins and some very cold beer. Be sure to include a toast to a remembered Veteran. Happy Memorial Day!
