Ingredients
For the NYC Hot Dog Cart Onions:
2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped or sliced
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons brown mustard, plus more to serve
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder (Rach likes Aleppo or Gebhardt's blend)
1 teaspoon pimento (smoked paprika or sweet paprika)
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
For the Hot Dogs:
8 links of hot dog (beef, pork or meatless)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6 tablespoons "everything" seasoning
Two 8-ounce tubes of crescent rolls
Slaw salad, to serve, optional
Dill pickles, to serve, optional
Directions
Serves: 4 to 6
For the onions, in a medium pot or 10- to 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat, 2 turns of the pan. Add onions, salt and pepper and soften 20 minutes, keeping them very light in color and adding 1 cup of water after 10 minutes. Let water evaporate over very low heat. Stir in ketchup, mustard, sugar, spices and granulated garlic. Keep over very low heat and let thicken.
Preheat oven to 375°F, with rack in middle position.
For the hot dogs, split them down center and simmer in 1/8-inch water in nonstick skillet. Brown on each side lightly, then remove and cool.
Fill dogs with cheese. Separate dough so that 2 triangles form 1 larger triangle; if your tube of dough yields 8 crescent rolls, you should form 4 larger triangles per tube. Place the cheese-filled dogs at the long end of the triangle of dough and roll the dog to wrap the dough around.
Place seasoning on a plate and gently roll dough in it.
Place the stuffed dogs on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then bake until golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Pass onions and more mustard at table. Serve with slaw salad of choice and pickles (if using).
