The humble hot dog gets a new make-over. Evidently, every region and country has its own version of a sausage and a bun. Sometimes I crave a hot dog with just mayo, ketchup and mustard. I respect that kind of simplicity. Other times, I want something with a little more bite and acidity that cuts through the richness of wieners and sausages.
I have a fond memory of a choripan I ate in El Cerro Verde, El Salvador. The word choripan is a combo of the words chorizo, which means sausage, and pan which means bread. The concept is similar to a hot dog, or a German bratwurst with sauerkraut. The relish is made of an escabeche or pickled veggies dressed with a little Dijon mustard and mayonnaise.
Ingredients for Salvadorian Escabeche (for about 4 hot dogs):
- 1 carrot, julienned (I used 2 small tricolor carrots)
- 1 can sliced jalapeños, reserve 1 tablespoon of vinegar from the can
- 1 sliced onion
- 1 red, yellow or orange bell pepper, julienned
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
Preparation:
Stir-fry the onions in a little bit of oil until slightly translucent. Add the rest of the veggies, bay leaf, oregano and thyme. Continue to stir-fry and sprinkle in about one tablespoon of the vinegar from the jalapeños and about 1/2 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce. Stir in the mayo and mustard and toss to coat all the veggies. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and use immediately as a topping for hot dogs or sandwiches. The carrots and bell pepper should be crispy al dente.
You will need really good hot dog buns such as brioche, and hot dogs or sausages of your choice. I used a turkey hot dog pictured below. It was yum and with all those veggies.
SalviKitchen 