Photos by: Tara Hope Cofiell, Gregory Hutsell

Summer means hot dogs. July is not only when we celebrate Independence Day, but it is also National Hot dog month. With this in mind, I’ve decided to put a few different twists on the old, boring, grilled hot dog on a cheap bun. These recipes place the all-American sausage at center stage and celebrate our diverse culture from our Italian, Asian, French, and German immigrants with one ingredient that ties us all together: the venerable ballpark hot dog.

Hot dogs and Asparagus in Puff pastry with Hollandaise

2 sheets frozen puff pastry (thawed)
8 hot dogs cut length wise into 4 pieces
32 asparagus spears, tough bottoms cut off
1 packet of instant Hollandaise prepared as instructed, and refrigerated at least one hour
2 eggs, beaten

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Bring a stock pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Add asparagus and cook 3 minutes, remove asparagus and reserve.
  3. Cut each puff pastry sheet into fourths. Place puff pastry sheets with pointed side facing you. Brush each one with egg. Spread each sheet with 2 tablespoons of Hollandaise.
  4. Alternate 4 hot dog lengths and 4 asparagus spears in a row. Fold puff pastry corner to corner and seal. Brush pastries with egg and cook in oven 20 to 30 minutes.

Asian Spiced Grilled Hot dog Pot Stickers

4 hot dogs
2 eggs
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
3 tablespoons Asian hot sauce (I used Siracha), available in most grocery stores.
Square wonton wrappers (Sold in the produce section of grocery stores, for some reason)
1 beaten egg

  1. Add hot dogs, 2 eggs, panko, and Asian hot sauce in a food processer and pulse until combined into a ball.
  2. Remove from processor and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
  3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Brush each wonton with beaten egg and add 1 tsp. of hotdog mixture and fold wonton in half and seal.
  4. Place wontons on a sheet pan and reserve. Cook up to 6 wontons at a time in boiling water, until they rise to the top.
  5. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a sheet pan. Heat grill to medium heat and spray with non-stick spray. Cook pot stickers on each side 1 minute and serve.

Mediterranean Hot Dog Quiche

1 frozen pre-made pie shell (thawed)
6 eggs beaten
1 cup half & half
4 hot dogs chopped fine
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium potato chopped into small cubes
1 medium onion chopped fine
3 cloves garlic chopped fine
1 tomato chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon each chopped fresh basil, thyme, rosemary, and lavender
1 can of chopped artichoke hearts

  1. Place a 9-12 inch skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Add potatoes and sautŽ 15 minutes. Add onions, garlic, and tomatoes and cook 10 minutes.
  2. Combine eggs, half & half, herbs, and artichoke hearts in a bowl, and beat well. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  3. Fill pie shell with hot dogs, potato, onion, garlic, tomato, salt, herbs. Pour eggs, half & half, and artichokes into pie shell.
  4. Bake in oven 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Hotdogs poached in Riesling with Lentils

2 cups Riesling wine
8 hot dogs
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups lentils
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
4 cups chicken stock

  1. Heat sauce pan over med. heat and add butter. Add lentils, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and cook 5 minutes. Add chicken stock and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour until tender.
  2. Meanwhile heat Riesling over medium heat in a sauce pan large enough to hold all the hotdogs. Add hotdogs and poach 10 minutes.
  3. With a slotted spoon put some of the lentils on the center of a plate and top with a poached hotdog.