One of the most popular fast foods around has to be the highly underrated hot dog. Cheaper than hamburgers or pizzas and really quick to prepare, it’s one of those snacks loved by children and adults alike and can be made simply with a roll and a sausage or jazzed up with various types of sausage and toippings.
In honour of International Hot Dog, which is celebrated on Wednesday, July 19, we asked the chefs at Capsicum Culinary Studio, to send us their favourite recipes.
But first let’s take a look at the origins of this humble snack.
Most people credit Charles Feltman, a German immigrant who ran a hugely successful restaurant on Coney Island, with being the first to sell hot dogs in 1870, but other contenders exist, including a Bavarian immigrant named Anton Feuchtwanger who sold hot sausages on the streets of St. Louis and included a roll to prevent customers them from burning their fingers.
As for the name ‘hot dog’, there are several stories around that as well, the most common being the name was created by students at Yale University in the 1890s who referred to the wagons selling hot sausages in buns outside their dorms as ‘dog wagons’ and the food as ‘hot dogs’.
In more recent news Joey ‘Jaws’ Chestnut gobbled his way to a 16th consecutive win at this year’s Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, which was held on July 4 at Coney Island, USA, devouring 62 hot dogs in 10 minutes – 13 more than his second-place competitor. The women’s contest was won by defending champion, Miki Sudo, who consumed 39½ hot dogs in 10 minutes, six more than her closest rival.
Back home, we asked the chefs at Capsicum Culinary Studio for their favourite hot dog recipes and here’s what they sent us:
Sticky Hot Dogs
Ingredients
6 sausages
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 tbsp maple syrup
6 hot dog rolls
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Large pinch brown sugar
2 tsp wine or cider vinegar
Handful of rocket leaves
Method
Heat oven to 200°C. Place the sausages in a non-stick baking tray and roast for 20 mins. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onions and mustard seeds together for 10-15 mins until soft and golden. Remove the sausages and brush with maple syrup. Place the rolls onto the same baking tray and return to the oven until the sausages are dark, shiny and cooked through (5 minutes). Stir the mustard, sugar and vinegar into the onions until the sugar has melted. Cut the rolls open across the top, add a layer of rocket leaves, followed by a sausage and then spoon over the mustardy onions before devouring.
Hot Hot Dogs (makes 6)
Ingredients
6 chorizo sausages
1 tbsp olive oil
6 shallots, peeled and sliced lengthways
3 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tbsp honey
6 hot dog rolls
3 tomatoes, finely chopped
50g feta, crumbled
For the chimichurri
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium red chilli, finely chopped,
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
small bunch of coriander, finely chopped
50ml extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 tbsp
Method
For the chimichurri, combine the ingredients in a bowl with ½ tsp salt and set aside.
Place the sausages in an oven tray and grill under medium-high heat for 12-15 minutes.
Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the shallots for 10-15 mins until soft and starting to brown. Stir in the vinegar and honey and cook for a few minutes until sticky. Warm the hot dog rolls under the grill and cut the cooked sausages in half lengthways. Place a sausage in each roll then top with a big spoonful of the chimichurri, chopped tomato, feta and sticky shallots. If you like you dogs really, really hot you can add a few more slices of red chili!
Hoisin Hot Dogs (makes 6)
Ingredients
1 tbsp sriracha
1 tbsp mayonnaise
6 sausages
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
6 hot dog rolls
¼ cucumber, thinly sliced
4 spring onions, sliced
Method
Mix the sriracha with the mayonnaise. Brush the sausages with the hoisin sauce and cook under a medium-high grill until cooked (12-15 minutes). Cut the rolls open across the top and fill each with a sausage and spoon over some extra hoisin sauce. Top with the cucumber, sriracha mayonnaise mix and spring onions.
Brazilian Inspired Hot Dog (makes 2)
Ingredients
100g beef mince
2 hot dog rolls
2 sausages of your choice
30g tinned sweetcorn
5ml tomato paste
1ml fresh thyme, finely chopped
20g onion, finely chopped
20g tomato, chopped
20g red pepper, finely chopped
1 egg yolk
3ml mustard
50ml vegetable oil
10g coriander, finely chopped
10ml lemon juice
40g potatoes, finely julienned
Salt & pepper to taste
Oil for frying
Method
In a bowl, season the mince with salt and pepper and use your hands to combine well. Let it rest for 5 minutes. In a hot pan, add the oil and fry the mince until it is cooked through, stirring all the time to break all chunky bits that might form while cooking. The intention is to brown the meat a little for more flavour. Add the corn and thyme, stirring constantly. Add the tomato paste and mix until well incorporated. Taste and add salt if needed. Remove from heat and set aside. In a bowl, whisk egg yolk and mustard. Slowly pour in the veg oil while whisking. Once emulsified, add a splash of lemon juice together with salt, pepper, and a third of the chopped coriander. Whisk together and set aside. In a small bowl, combine chopped onion, tomato, red pepper and the rest of the coriander. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside. In a pan, add enough oil for deep frying. Get the oil to a temperature of 150ºC and deep fry the potatoes until a pale golden colour. Place them on paper towel and sprinkle with salt. Set aside. In a frying pan, sauté the hot dog sausages until brown. Slice rolls lengthwise without separating the two halves. Spread a thin layer of the homemade mayo on both sides, place sautéed sausage, mince and the salsa. Squeeze a bit more mayo on top and garnish with the potato chips and chopped coriander. Serve with homemade mayo on the side for dipping.
Hotdog with Mexican Corn Salad, Parmesan and Potato Sticks (makes 6)
Ingredients
6 hot dog sausages
6 hot dog rolls
1 can of whole kernel corn
2 tbs olive oil
½ red capsicum, finely chopped
½ red onion, finely chopped
½ avocado, chopped
½ cup feta, diced
6 spring onions, chopped
1 jalapeño, diced
Juice of 1 lime
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp salt
2 tbs sour cream
2 tbs mayonnaise
Method
Heat the oil in a frying pan. Drain and rinse the corn. Add the corn to the pan and wait for the kernels to pop, around 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and cool down. Meanwhile, in a bowl, add the red capsicum, red onion, avocado, feta, spring onion and jalapeño and the corn and the lime juice. Mix together. In a separate bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream and spices. Toss this dressing over the salad and mix well until all the ingredients are lightly coated with dressing. Heat the hot dog sausages in a pot of boiling water or in the microwave. Slice each roll lengthways across the top and insert the sausage. Top with the salad, a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and garnish with potato sticks.
