Windy City Hot Dogs with a Twist

Chicago-style hot dogs topped with crispy onions, cornichon, sport peppers, chopped tomato, and Dijon mustard. An fun, elevated twist on a classic!

Ingredients
Celery Salt Fried Onions:

• 1 large sweet onion
• roughly 3 cups canola or vegetable oil, for frying
• ½ cup cornstarch
• celery salt, for seasoning

Windy City Hot Dogs:

• 6 high-quality 100% beef hot dogs, spiralized
• 1 package of Cobblestone White Sub Rolls
• 2 medium tomatoes, cored, seeded, and diced
• cornichons, drained and sliced lengthwise
• whole or thinly sliced pickled sport peppers, stems removed (1-2 per hot dog; depending on heat preference)
• celery salt crispy onions (see above)
• Dijon mustard

Instructions

1. Prepare the Fried Onions: Slice the onion in half lengthwise and slice very thinly using a sharp knife or mandolin. Place the sliced onion in a large bowl and cover in cold water. Allow the onions to soak for 10 minutes. Place the cornstarch in a separate medium bowl. Set aside a large plate lined with paper towels. Drain the sliced onions and place on a large clean kitchen towel and pay completely dry.
2. Heat the oil in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan (you want the oil to fill 1/3 of the way up the sides of the pot) until it reaches 365 degrees Fahrenheit—use a candy or frying thermometer to measure the temperature.
3. Dredge the sliced onions in the cornstarch and shake off any excess cornstarch. Fry the onions in batches (a small handful at a time, it will mostly take 3 to 4 batches). Continuously move the onions in the frying oil to ensure that they crisp and color evenly. Remove with a spider or slotted spoon, and place on the paper towel lined plate to soak up any excess oil. Immediately season the fried onions with celery salt and toss. Repeat with each batch. Set the onions aside with the other hot dog toppings, while you cook and prepare the hot dogs.
4. Grill the Hot Dogs: Using wooden or metal skewers, skewer the hot dogs evenly (do this slowly, as you want to make sure the skewer goes through the very center of the hot dog—if for whatever reason, you miss, just try again—hot dogs are forgiving!).
5. Using a sharp paring knife and starting at one end of the hot dog, slice the hot dog at an angle until you reach the wooden skewer in the center. As you are cutting, slowly roll the hot dog away from you until you reach the other end.
6. Heat an indoor grill pan over medium-high heat (alternatively, you can grill your hot dogs on an outdoor grill, which will be just as delicious!). Grill the hot dogs until charred evenly on all sides.
7. As your hot dogs are cooking, cut a lengthwise “V” out of the tops of the white sub rolls (the sub rolls make these extra sturdy—more so than traditional hot dog buns—but you want to provide a bit more space for all of the toppings!). Toast the buns in a toaster oven (or alternatively, you can place the buns on a large baking sheet and heat at 325 degrees for about 5 to 10 minutes).
8. Place the hot dogs in the sub rolls. Add chopped tomato to one side of the hot dog, and the sliced cornichon and sport peppers on the other. Top with a handful of celery salt fried onions and a nice squeeze of Dijon mustard (technically, if you’re a true Chicagoan, you put on the Dijon mustard first…). Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information: Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 640Total Fat: 62gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 52gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 508mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 7g