Bánh Mì Dogs #NationalHotDogDay

Did you know that today is National Hot Dog Day? I didn't. But we couldn't resist.

Bánh Mì Dogs

My favorite podcast is FoodStuff. And Anney and Lauren got frank about hot dogs; you can hear that here, but I'll give you a few snippets.

Let's start with a definition: "A hot dog is a tube of fine-ground meat, usually beef or beef and pork, seasoned with stuff like coriander, mustard seed, pepper, nutmeg, cloves, paprika, garlic, sugar, and salt. Usually cured. Sometimes smoked. ...Savory, salty, spiced...it's simply a type of pre-cooked sausage." Frankfurter or wiener or wienie are other names for them, too.

As far as the meat goes, all-beef, beef and pork, turkey, and caribou have all been turned into hot dogs. Anything goes.

The average American consumes 60 hot dogs. I find that stunning. I have maybe two a year.

Many Americans believe there is a "proper hot dog" and everyone else is wrong. "Ketchup is 'unacceptable'." According to Lauren, it's only a hot dog if it's on a toasted bun with brown mustard and sauerkraut.

So, I decided to go off the deep end and offer a hot dog with all of the fixings of my favorite sandwich, the Vietnamese Bánh Mì, including pickled carrots and zucchini and roasted peppers.

Pickled Carrots and Zucchini

• 4 to 5 medium carrots, julienned
• 4 to 5 organic zucchini, peeled and thinly sliced (I used a mandolin slicer)
• 4 Tablespoons organic granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons fish sauce
• 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons minced cilantro

To Assemble

• 4 hot dogs (I used 100% grass-fed beef dogs)
• 4 rolls or buns (traditional would be French baguettes, but cut to the length of the hot dog)
• fresh cilantro
• roasted peppers
• sriracha hot sauce
• mayonnaise

Procedure

Pickled Carrots and Zucchini
(This can be done the night before, but should be done at least six hours before serving.)

Place julienned carrots and sliced zucchini in separate bowls. Bring the sugar, vinegar, and fish sauce to a simmer. Stir till the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the sesame oil and cilantro. Divide the hot liquid in half and pour half over the carrots and half over the zucchini. Make sure the vegetables are as submerged as possible. Set aside until ready to serve.

To Assemble

Heat your hot dogs on a grill or grill pan. Toast the bread on the grill, too.

Open up each piece of bread. Spread mayonnaise on one side, sriracha on the other. Place the hot dog on the bread. Top with picked carrots, pickled zucchini, roasted peppers, and fresh cilantro. Enjoy!