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Chicago Hot Dog

Source of Recipe

From "Mad Hungry: Cravings" by Lucinda Quinn


Recipe Introduction

"Vendor after vendor I visited along the shores of Lake Michigan left me with no doubt as to what constitutes an original Chicago hot dog. I will not be accused of riffing on this one. The essentials are a Chicago red hot dog (simmer the hot dogs with a beet if you can't find these at your local store), a poppy seed bun (not easy to find), authentic neon-green relish (also not easy to find), and celery salt. And never, ever, use ketchup."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 4 hot dog buns, split open
â—¦ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
â—¦ 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
â—¦ 4 all-beef hot dogs
â—¦ 4 dill pickle spears
â—¦ 1 tomato, cut into eight wedges
â—¦ About 1 ½ tablespoons yellow mustard
â—¦ 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
â—¦ ½ white onion, chopped
â—¦ 4 jarred peperoncini
â—¦ Celery salt


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Brush the outside of the buns with the butter and sprinkle with the poppy seeds. Put on a baking sheet, cut side down, and toast in the oven for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, simmer the hot dogs in the pot of water to heat through, about 8 minutes.

Place a hot dog in each bun. Place a pickle spear on one side and 2 tomato wedges on the other side of each hot dog. Squirt or drizzle the mustard in a zigzag pattern over the dogs. Spoon a dollop of relish onto each one, and scatter some of the white onion over each one. Place a peperoncini on top of each hot dog, sprinkle with celery salt, and serve.

Makes 4 dogs