As I am sure you are well aware following my thirty-one day coverage of National Hot Dog Month, I am absolutely fascinated by this little pinkish-red sausage that has become an American icon - its history, its nostalgia, the tales connected with it, how it came to be, and even, how it got its name. After such an endeavor, and confessedly, one that has nearly driven me over the hot dog precipice, I thought it only proper to cap off the month and utilize Day 31 to create a flavor sensation of my own built upon the foundation of a frank, and unveil to you - The Foodidog.
The Foodidog begins with the centerpiece of its being, a Boar's Head all-beef frankfurter in a natural casing. I choose this frank for a number of reasons; it has a terrific flavor when grilled, it contains no artificial ingredients and its all-natural casing gives it a wonderful, "snap!" when bitten into. But first and foremost, I desired an all-beef frank that would not only compliment, but be able to announce its presence beside the strength of our second ingredient - Prosciutto di Parma.
Accept no substitutes here, folks. Don't take any shortcuts because your local grocery only stocks the pre-packaged variety. Don't go to the deli counter and be talked into the brand they stock merely because this is what they carry such as; brands such as Boar's Head, Thumann's or Fiorucci. They are not bad. In fact, they are quite good; they're just not Prosciutto di Parma. And that's what it is going to take to build an authentic Foodidog.
I begin the Foodidog by attempting to coerce the most flavor possible from my choice of topping. I didn't want a myriad of exotic cheeses, crazy sauces and odd combinations that merely raise the "unique" factor, as well as the caloric content. I wanted flavors that were bold enough to say, "I'm here, fellas", but subtle enough so as not outshine the true star of the show. For that reason, I decided upon Sauteed Onions.
I started by thinly slicing a Yellow Onion. Now you may ask, "Why the yellow onion when there are a so many onion types to choose from?" Frankly, the raw Yellow Onion has a flavor profile that is quite pungent and has a sharp astringency due to its high sulfur content (which is why your eyes tear when peeling them). They also contain a high sugar content, so when cooked, they tend to lose their pungency and become super sweet as they caramelize into a gorgeous light brown color. However, they do retain a slight spicy edge when cooked which is why I choose them over the tamer, less-sulfuric, Sweet Onion.
As always, I use a cast-iron pan, which is perfect for this application. I saute the yellow onion within a blend of olive oil and butter, with a pinch of sea salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Nothing more. After that, I let the science of caramelization take its course.
Accept no substitutes here, folks. Don't take any shortcuts because your local grocery only stocks the pre-packaged variety. Don't go to the deli counter and be talked into the brand they stock merely because this is what they carry such as; brands such as Boar's Head, Thumann's or Fiorucci. They are not bad. In fact, they are quite good; they're just not Prosciutto di Parma. And that's what it is going to take to build an authentic Foodidog.
I begin the Foodidog by attempting to coerce the most flavor possible from my choice of topping. I didn't want a myriad of exotic cheeses, crazy sauces and odd combinations that merely raise the "unique" factor, as well as the caloric content. I wanted flavors that were bold enough to say, "I'm here, fellas", but subtle enough so as not outshine the true star of the show. For that reason, I decided upon Sauteed Onions.
I started by thinly slicing a Yellow Onion. Now you may ask, "Why the yellow onion when there are a so many onion types to choose from?" Frankly, the raw Yellow Onion has a flavor profile that is quite pungent and has a sharp astringency due to its high sulfur content (which is why your eyes tear when peeling them). They also contain a high sugar content, so when cooked, they tend to lose their pungency and become super sweet as they caramelize into a gorgeous light brown color. However, they do retain a slight spicy edge when cooked which is why I choose them over the tamer, less-sulfuric, Sweet Onion.
As always, I use a cast-iron pan, which is perfect for this application. I saute the yellow onion within a blend of olive oil and butter, with a pinch of sea salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Nothing more. After that, I let the science of caramelization take its course.
While my onions are sauteing, I oil and pre-heat my grill. I then take each frank and roll them inside a single slice of Prosciutto di Parma. When hot, I place them on the grill, allowing them to cook to the point where grill marks on the prosciutto are visible and the frank's natural-casing is moments away from bursting. At this point, the Prosciutto di Parma has reached a crispy, golden color that is just oozing flavor and takes the utmost self-control to refrain from biting into.
I place the franks atop a "steamed" New England-style frankfurter bun and top them with a couple of forkfuls of my sauteed onions which have been cooked to a translucent perfection with but a mere hint of brown crispiness starting to appear here and there. But the Foodidog is not quite complete without my choice of condiment, and for this I decided to take a few moments and make a home-made Honey Horseradish Mustard.
I began with a high-quality and coarse spicy brown deli mustard. I mixed it with real honey and a sprinkle of freshly-grated horseradish (I used fresh horseradish root). With the help of my immersion blender, it is the perfect consistency, textural component and flavor to shoot the flavor profile of this dog into the frankfurter stratosphere.
And thus, I present to you, The Foodidog!
I place the franks atop a "steamed" New England-style frankfurter bun and top them with a couple of forkfuls of my sauteed onions which have been cooked to a translucent perfection with but a mere hint of brown crispiness starting to appear here and there. But the Foodidog is not quite complete without my choice of condiment, and for this I decided to take a few moments and make a home-made Honey Horseradish Mustard.
I began with a high-quality and coarse spicy brown deli mustard. I mixed it with real honey and a sprinkle of freshly-grated horseradish (I used fresh horseradish root). With the help of my immersion blender, it is the perfect consistency, textural component and flavor to shoot the flavor profile of this dog into the frankfurter stratosphere.
And thus, I present to you, The Foodidog!
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