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Kielbasa Chili Dogs

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • 2 onions

  • 1 ring kielbasa or turkey kielbasa

  • Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) or vegetable oil, for drizzling

  • 3/4 pound ground sirloin or lean ground turkey

  • 2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped

  • 3-4 tablespoons pimento or roasted red pepper, finely chopped

  • Salt and pepper

  • 1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika (a palmful)

  • 1/2 tablespoon chili powder (half a palmfu)

  • 1 generous tablespoon tomato paste

  • 1 cup beef stock or broth for beef chili sauce or chicken stock for turkey chili sauce

  • 4 potato rolls, split

  • Fresh dill, chopped, for garnish

  • Sour cream, for garnish

Directions

Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Peel and halve the onions. Thinly slice 1 1/2 onions and add to the butter. Sauté until sweet and caramelized, 20-25 minutes. Meanwhile, place the kielbasa ring in a pan in a few inches of water and simmer at low boil to heat through, 7-8 minutes. Heat a drizzle of EVOO or vegetable oil in a small pot or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground meat and brown, 5-6 minutes, crumbling it as it cooks. Grate the remaining chunk of onion into the meat with a handheld grater or box grater. Add the garlic and pimento or peppers, smoked sweet paprika and chili powder. Cook for 5 minutes more, then add the tomato paste. Cook for 30 seconds, then stir in the stock or broth and reduce the heat to low. Cut the kielbasa ring into four pieces, then halve the kielbasa pieces lengthwise. Heat a drizzle of EVOO or vegetable oil in a large, nonstick skillet or griddle pan over medium-high heat. Crisp up the kielbasa pieces on both sides. Place two pieces of crispy kielbasa across the bottom half of the rolls. Top with the chili sauce, some caramelized onions, dill, a small dollop of sour cream and the bun tops.