Wines to make eating hot dogs more fun.
Hot dogs fell out of fashion some time ago. With Asian inspiration taking over fast food, the poor hot dog found itself out of place.
But it now seems to have been caught up in a gastronomic revival. Now that this humble food has been revisited by such culinary geniuses as Dabiz Muñoz and company, its comeback is assured. And like any worthwhile reinterpretation, its accompaniment should also go beyond cold beer and baseball. Art takes time, and wine is a good travelling companion. Enjoy!
CLASSIC HOT DOG WITH PEPPER AND BACON TOPPING
The classic hot dog is little more than a bun, a frankfurter, ketchup and mustard. And even though it’s fine as it is, why not give this simple combination a little extra with green pepper, onion and finely chopped bacon.
The trick is to get the vegetables really soft, and the bacon nice and crisp. All that’s left is to toast the bun, add the sausage and cover it with the topping. Then a little ketchup and mustard to taste, and a side of home-made chips.
Accompanied by a Fortius Rosado, it makes the perfect meal to impress the friends you have over to watch the game.
TEX-MEX CHICKEN HOT DOG
While the hot dog typically comes with a frankfurter made from pork, the options are growing as far as sausages are concerned. These include turkey and chicken sausages, and even vegan sausages are getting in on the act.
This Tex-Mex hot dog recipe is simple and delicious. Toast the bun until it turns crispy, and cook the chicken sausage until crisp on the outside. Put the sausage in the bun and smother it in sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo and jalapeños, turning up the heat as much as you like. The perfect accompaniment might just be a Faustino Art Collection Viura Chardonnay. For the perfect evening outdoors.
DABIZ MUÑOZ’S MUMBAI HOT DOG
The hot dogs this chef sells out of his food trucks and through his home delivery service are revolutionary and come with an explosion of flavour with each bite. The recipes aren’t very complicated, and you can make them quite easily at home with just a few modifications.
His Mumbai hot dog is a smoky barbecued frankfurter served in a brioche bun with a vine tomato butter masala, aïoli, vindaloo sauce, frosted mint leaves, citrus chutney and coconut pani puri. If you can’t find these ingredients, you can find other options at any Asian supermarket and add your own creativity to each one.
The best accompaniment for these rich and aromatic flavours is a glass of Cava Faustino Extra Seco. Creativity and bubbles are a match made in heaven.
HOT DOG AU GRATIN
Another twist on the conventional hot dog is to finish it off in the oven. It’s as easy as choosing the bun of your choice, whether the usual or brioche, and fill it with a spicy sausage and caramelised onion. Then top it with cheese and pop it in the oven until it melts over everything.
All you need to add is a little Dijon mustard and home-made mayonnaise. Some people might find it worthy of being eaten with a knife and fork. It’s up to you. Open a bottle of Portia Roble and enjoy the moment… you only live once!
