Friday, April 15, 2011

Grilled Hot Dogs with Poblanos, Pepperjack, and Tomatillo Salsa


I don't know if I should blame the warmer weather or my pregnancy, but out of nowhere I recently had an intense craving for hot dogs.  Luckily I was actually at the grocery store at the time, since that's not something I typically keep on hand.  So I grabbed a pack of nitrate-free-all-beef-organic hot dogs, and as I shopped for the rest of my groceries I thought about how I wanted to prepare them.

A few summers ago, Bon Appetit did a feature about hot dogs, called Around the World in 80 Hot Dogs.  Several countries, regions, and states were featured, and I actually remembered there being one with poblanos and salsa verde.  So I bought what I thought would be included, and then looked up the recipe when I got home (though in retrospect I totally could have looked it up on my epicurious app on my iphone!).  And I actually wasn't too far off.  However, I didn't really like their method of prep - I firmly believe a hot dog should only be enjoyed from the grill - boiling hot dogs kind of grosses me out.  So I adapted the recipe to grill everything, and put my own spin on it.

Yes, there is a lot going on here for just a hot dog, but considering that it's all stuff I love, I don't mind at all. Roasted poblanos and tomatillo salsa can adorn pretty much anything and I'd be happy.  When I served this, I kept it simple and just grilled some corn and chopped up some fresh fruit.  This would be a really fun way to serve hot dogs to company though, and the sides would be so easy - chips, salsa, guacamole, cold beer, and margaritas - you've got yourself a party!


Grilled Hot Dogs with Poblanos, Pepperjack, and Tomatillo Salsa
inspired by Bon Appetit, July 2009
  • 1 poblano pepper
  • 1 onion, cut into 1/2-inch rings
  • vegetable oil, for brushing
  • 1 Tbs finely chopped cilantro
  • salt and pepper
  • 4 hot dogs
  • 4 oz Pepperjack cheese, thinly sliced
  • tomatillo salsa
  • 4 hot dog buns
  • cilantro, for garnish
  • lime wedges, for serving
Prepare grill.

Grill the poblano whole, turning often, until blackened and charred all over.  Brush both sides of the onion slices with oile, and grill until softened, turning once.  Remove both from grill.  Set the onion slices aside, and place the pepper in a bowl, then cover with plastic wrap.  Allow to steam 5-10 minutes, then carefully peel off the skin, rinsing under cold water to remove all the charred pieces.  Remove the seeds and stem.  Slice the onions and pepper into 2-inch strips, toss with cilantro, and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.

Grill the hot dogs, turning every few minutes, until heated through and charred in spots.  Meanwhile, toast the hot dog buns until warmed through and starting to brown.  Carefully top the hot dogs with the slices of pepperjack, then close the grill to melt the cheese.  Remove from grill and place in the hot dog buns.

When ready to serve, top the hot dogs with the poblano-onion mixture and tomatillo salsa.  Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired, and serve with lime wedges.


7 comments:

Jessica said...

Genius! What a great way to mix it up during this summer's grilling season!

Kim (Feed Me, Seymour) said...

Boiling hot dogs is incredibly gross... Grilling is the way to go! And then slatering them with poblanos and pepperjack is the even better way to go! Can't wait to christen my grill for the season with these babies!

elly said...

Haha I TOTALLY remember that issue of Bon Appetite and drooling at this exact recipe, but I had completely forgotten about it. Thanks for the reminder, my Tex-Mexy food twin. ;)

Unknown said...

This sounds so wonderful, and tasty!

Allison @ Bake Like Martha said...

I'm drooling so hard right now. This looks awesome, can't wait til it's a little warmer here (Boston, the frozen tundra...) so I can break out a grill and try it!

Anonymous said...

Salsa on a hot dog! Genius! That's funny - I just bought a pack of hot dogs to eat on my son's 1st birthday this Thursday, but I wanted to do something other than the usual ketchup/mustard. I now feel inspired :)

nicole said...

I love hot dogs that are loaded with toppings. I love chicago stle with since it has a pickle on it and is jammed packed. This sounds good, such a different twist the usual.

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