IRON CHEF HOT DOG WITH ONION AND PEPPER RELISH AND CRISPY RED ONIONS

Iron Chef Hot Dog with Onion and Pepper Relish and Crispy Red Onions image

Provided by Alex Guarnaschelli

Time 3h5m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

Ingredients

1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 small red onions, 1 finely sliced and 1 finely diced
1 small red pepper, seeded and finely diced
Kosher salt
1 to 2 teaspoons hot sauce
6 large dill pickles, finely diced
2 cups canola oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
2 small red onions, sliced into thin rounds
Kosher salt
8 all-beef hot dogs
1 tablespoon canola oil, if pan-frying
8 classic potato hot dog buns
Dijon mustard, for serving

Steps:

For the relish: Bring the red wine vinegar plus 1/4 cup water to a gentle simmer in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the sugar, mustard seeds and coriander seeds. Simmer until the liquid reduces to a syrup consistency and the seeds become tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl.
Heat the oil in the same pan over medium heat until it smokes lightly. Add the onions and red pepper and cook over high heat until slightly tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt. Remove from the heat and add to the reduced vinegar mixture along with the hot sauce and pickles. Stir to blend, then transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 48 hours.
For the crispy onions: Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a medium pot.
Stir together the flour and paprika in a medium bowl, then add the onion slices and toss to coat. Test the oil by dropping in one onion slice. It should fall to the bottom, begin to bubble, rise to the top and fry gradually. Prepare a baking sheet fitted with a kitchen towel, and get a slotted spoon ready. Shake the excess flour off half of the onions and drop them in the oil. Gently swirl them with the spoon so they fry more evenly on all sides, until they are golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove them with the spoon and lay them out on the kitchen towel to cool. Sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the remaining onions.
For the hot dogs: Boil or pan-fry? Your choice. (See Cook's Note.) If you want to boil the dogs, place the dogs in a pan with enough simmering water to cover them and gently cook over medium-low heat until fully hot, 8 to 10 minutes. To pan-fry, add them to a little hot oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat until they are golden brown on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes.
Toast the buns in the toaster or a hot (350 degree F) oven until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Spread a layer of mustard down the length of the dogs and place them in the buns. Top with hearty helpings of the relish and even layers of the onions all the way down the bun.