Since moving from Los Angeles to St. Louis, I've really been missing some of the local flavors. Anytime you go to LA for a ball game, concert, to the museum or downtown for a stop by "The Alley", you are sure to see street vendors selling Tijuana Dogs (also known as Danger Dogs, Ghetto Dogs, Street Dogs, etc.) from little carts that consist of a heat source and a large flat cooking surface. The aroma emanating from these grills is unmistakable and magnetic, even the most squeamish of eaters will find it hard to resist . The delicious flavor is almost enough to make forget that you just bought a bacon wrapped hot dog from an unlicensed vendor in the middle of a parking lot or street corner.
Tonight I had a strong craving for this heart attack inducing treat, so I went to the local supermarket, gathered up the supplies and shortly after I was in pizza-face paradise. Here is how to make your own TJ Dogs at home.
Ingredients
1 package of hot dogs (any kind will do, if you want to have the full street expereince, go with something cheap)
8 strips of bacon (you want to go with something thinly sliced, go with the cheap stuff here too)
1 large onion
8 serrano chiles
Mayonnaise
Yellow Mustard
Ketchup
Avocado Relish Ingredients
1 medium onion
1 large tomato
1 clove garlic
1 lime
10 sprigs cilantro
1 california avocado
1-4 serrano chiles
1 pinch of salt
1. Prepare the avocado relish first by coring the tomato and slicing the serrano chiles lengthwise. Seed the chiles if you would like less heat. Finely chop the onion, tomato, garlic,cilantro and chile, place them in a bowl. Cut the avocado into 1/4" cubes and add to bowl. Cut the lime in half and squeeze over all of the ingredients, then add the salt.
2. Take a spoon and mix well. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator till later. By the time your hot dogs are done your relish will have had enough time for the flavors to mingle.
3. Slice Hotdogs lengthwise and fill with mayonnaise
4. Wrap each dog in a single slice of bacon.
5. Chop your onion into half inch wide slices and slice your serranos lengthwise, seed them if you desire less heat.
6. Put your hot dogs, onion and chiles into a skillet on medium low heat.
7. Turn hot dogs and stir the onions every 5 minutes or so till the bacon is fully cooked and the onion start to carmalize. Turn the chiles over when the hotdogs are about 1/2 way cooked.
8. When everything is just about finished cooking, add mustard, mayonnaise and ketchup to your bun and place in skillet for a minute or so.
9. Place hot dog in bun, top with onion, your grilled chiles and last add your avocado relish.
This is just one way to enjoy this awesome dog, you can also add pickle relish, crema mexicana, tapatio, cotija cheese or whatever suits you. Make sure to keep plenty of napkins on hand, because not matter what you put on them, these things are messy!
