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Taking in a game at Fenway Park is a sensory experience: the crisp ‘whack’ sound of the first hit, the icy-cold of beer on the lips and that salty, smoky smell wafting through the stands from hot dog vendors.
For many fans, a trip to the stadium is as much about the sights, the sounds and, most importantly, the food, as it is about the field.
The classic ball game song may say, “Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,” but there’s nothing more American than a hot dog at a game.
“I’ve been around baseball my whole life, and hot dogs just go with it hand in hand,” said Vincint Smith, executive chef at Blue Pointe Bistro in Weymouth. “They just go together.”
The vendors at Fenway Park offer the usual array of hot dog toppings: ketchup, mustard, relish and chopped onions. People can spoon as much or little of their favorite condiments, mixed to their liking.
But for those watching the game at home who can be more adventurous in the kitchen, Smith and Thomas Coleman, executive chef at The Fat Cat in Quincy, put together recipes for their favorite “loaded” hot dogs.
For starters, Coleman recommends using an all-beef hot dog and a heartier, bakery bun that will hold up to heavy ingredients like chili and melted cheese.
Both chefs say the best way to prepare the dog is to score it with a knife, blanche or boil it in hot water then place it on the grill until ready.
For Smith, a game-day hot dog is the ultimate comfort food. He drew inspiration for his “Bases Loaded” hot dog from his favorite sandwich shop in his hometown of Pittsburgh.
“Everything there had fries in it, from the fried bologna sandwich to a veggie sandwich,” he said.
His hot dog is stuffed with French fries and topped with coleslaw and a spicy mustard sauce.
The sauce Smith uses for his dog appears on Blue Pointe’s menu as a topping for pork spring rolls. He uses cranberry sauce to add a bit of New England sweetness to a typically tangy Asian condiment.
The Fat Cat in Quincy Center offers “loaded” hot dogs as a menu item. The most popular dog among patrons is the Fat Cat Loaded Fat Dog, topped with the restaurant’s four-bean chili, melted cheddar cheese and diced red onion.
For those who like a little heat on their plate, the Spicy Dog features tangy chipotle mayonnaise on a dog piled high with fried onions and fried pickles, all topped with cherry peppers.
Coleman’s favorite, the BLT dog, is a version of an old menu favorite - the bacon, lettuce and tomato trio. Of course, you have to be a real meat lover to combine a hot dog and bacon on the same plate.
A hot dog is like a cheese pizza or a turkey sandwich - it’s a blank canvas just waiting to be personalized with a heaping of condiments, cheeses and veggies. The key is to be creative, and if you find something that works, make sure to pile it on.
“You can use just about any ingredient,” Coleman said. “Just use your imagination. There’s no limit on condiments.”
Author: patriotledger
Keywords: ghsvid ghsnevid patriot ledger quincy fat cat hot dogs
Added: April 11, 2008
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