Loaded Hotdogs
It’s a holiday week, and we’re eating hotdogs. To be honest, hotdogs have long been a favorite of mine, and our freezer is stockpiled, prepper-style, in case of a global shortage. We got sick of the soggy, too large buns and obvious condiments, and for this grilling season we’ve gotten creative and kicked out the bun, brought on the tortilla, and seriously ramped up the flavors for gourmet Loaded Hotdogs. We wanted to share our favorite flavor combination; where ketchup and mustard are supplanted by tart homemade quick pickled red onions, tangy guacamole, creamy queso fresco cheese, and if you are feeling decadent, crispy bacon.
Yield: 6 hotdogs
Ingredients:
- 6 hotdogs
- 6 tortillas
- 1 recipe Yucatan Quick Pickled Red Onions
- 1 recipe Charred Onion Guacamole
- 1/2 cup queso fresco, crumbled or cubed
- 1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- 4 pieces cooked bacon, crumbled (optional)
- Hot sauce (optional)
- Lime wedges (optional)
Steps:
- Preheat your grill on high for 10-15 minutes. Clean the grates thoroughly to reduce sticking.
- Prior to grilling the hotdogs, prep all your toppings (tortillas, pickled red onions, guacamole, queso fresco, cilantro, bacon, hot sauce, and lime).
- Cook your hotdogs according to your preference. In the last minute of cooking, lay the tortillas down directly on the grill and cook on both sides for 30 seconds.
- To serve: You can prepare a buffet of toppings and have guests assemble their own, or plate the hotdogs individually. Our method is to lay the cooked tortilla flat on a plate and spread guacamole down the center of the tortilla. We top the guacamole with the hotdog, followed by the red onions, bacon and queso fresco and cilantro. Roll up and enjoy.
Gourmet Hotdogs 3 Ways
Moving to Haiti, there were foods that we were expecting to forgo. Take dairy and berries, both are mainly imported, elusive, and outrageously expensive; makes sense. On the flip-side, some surprising things have been easy to find. Like hotdogs; they are everywhere. Hotdogs are tucked into pikliz stuffed breakfast pastries, fried on the street, and cooked into Haitian style gratin. Hotdogs were were even served to me at the maternity clinic, a few hours after giving birth to Madeline. In the spirit of hotdog season, we're sharing some of our top 3 Gourmet Hotdogs; where the standard ketchup, mustard, and relish are replaced by toppings inspired by our favorite sandwich combinations: the Reuben, Cubano and Bánh Mì.
Venezuelan Arepas with Recado & Lime Chicken
If you've never tried an arepa before, you have been missing out. Arepas are to South America, what tortillas are to Central America and Mexico; a simple, easy to make, and yet ridiculously delicious corn-based staple and platform for creativity. These arepas are in a more Venezuelan style, a little more rounded and thick, and cooked primarily on the stove-top. This week we have been topping our arepas with Recado and Lime Braised Chicken, fresh avocado slices, and our Mexican Quick Pickled Red Onions. These arepas are also great with Paul's Yucatán Citrus Pulled Pork.
Charred Onion Guacamole
With all our spring work efforts we thought some guacamole and chips were in order to keep up our energy, especially after the 38 wheelbarrows of mulch down our steep yard. This Charred Onion Guacamole is creamy, smoky and garlicky, you really don't even need chips to eat it. This Guacamole is the reward you deserve after a long spring day of work. If you are like us, and don't always plan ahead to buy your avocados in time to ripen, Paul has a neat technique that works well to ensure you have access to this addictive dip. 1-2 days prior to use (the longer the better) Paul puts unripe avocados in a brown paper bag with a very ripe apple. The apple releases ethylene gas, which gets trapped in the paper bag to fast forward the avocado ripening process. It's cool science.
Smokey Ancho Cheddar Burgers
In honor of festive eats and Mexican flavors on this Cinco De Mayo, we wanted to share one of our latest favorites: Smokey Ancho Cheddar Burgers. Despite the ample use of homemade Garlic Ancho Chile Paste, these burgers are not spicy, but bursting with sweet roasted garlic and smokey, earthy, dried anchos. Tangy melted cheddar, addictive ancho mayonnaise, and bright bursts of Yucatán Quick Pickled Red Onions garnish this delicious burger to mouthwatering perfection.
Turkey Feta Burgers with Yogurt Curry Sauce
On a holiday weekend famous for feasting and barbecues, we wanted to share one of our favorite burgers. These healthy Turkey Feta Burgers with Yogurt Curry Sauce are quick to make, light on fat, and big on flavor. If you are feeling adventurous, you can also substitute the turkey in this recipe for another lean meat like lamb, buffalo, or venison. To top these burgers, we ditch the usual lettuce, and opt instead for the crips fresh accompaniments of cucumber, tomato, and homemade pickled red onions.
