Top Chef

OK, just got to watch the latest episode of Top Chef. No big surprises in this one as it played out fairly predictably. Bravo usually tries to create drama by throwing out red herrings in an attempt to keep you from guessing the outcomes, but this was fairly straight forward. I don;t have much to say on the contestants as they finished as I would expect. The nasty hot dog spring roll did not bode well for the poor girl (I'll remember names later when I get to know everyone better).

The quickfire was interesting, but not all that challenging if you ask me. 40 minutes to make a sausage of some kind and dress it appropriately? I found the rules and the goal a little confusing though. It wasn’t clear to me if they were supposed to attempt to duplicate a traditional New York dog or re-create one of their own choosing. Based on what was delivered through, I guess everyone felt the latter. I find it kinda stupid then, to have the street vendor in there and say that you have to compete with her dog.

I like New York dogs, but my favorite is the Lucky Dog I can get on the street in New Orleans. I am also familiar with the style of Coney that they serve in Detroit, which is pretty good. I now live in Chicago, but I have to blasphemous and say that I don’t really care for the traditional Chicago dog. Too much going on, but it is an experience. Also, in Chi you never, ever, put ketchup on it. You will receive angry stares and people will shake their heads at you. Below is a link to a site that describes the Chicago dog in all its glory.

http://www.hotdogchicagostyle.com/chicagodog.php

And from my old haunts in Michigan, A Coney:

And finally…Here is a listing of regional dog varieties:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_dog_variations


I would have tried to make a traditional dog and then spend the bulk of the time on unique versions of the condiments. For the dog, I would have used some pork butt (60%) and some beef chuck (20%), leaving in about 20% fat from both. I would then grind it in the processor until very smooth and add a little bit of garlic, turmeric, salt and pepper. This would give a slightly sweet flavor that would balance with the meat but not be too overpowering. Using the natural intestinal casing would provide the requisite “snap” that you should have with a great hotdog. Most street vendors steam their dogs, but a quick flash on the grill doesn’t hurt after the steam bath.

For the condiments, I would make mustard, by lightly toasting some seeds and then grinding them with some apple cider vinegar and turmeric and then straining. I would also have done a quick pickle on some Napa cabbage (just boil some julienne cabbage in vinegar for 5 to 10 min), caramelize some onions, and top with a small shake of celery salt.

Tomorrow, I’ll get into the elimination round.