Shake, Shake, Shake Sonora!

A hot dog wrapped in bacon is nothing new to any of us who grew up in Southern California.  I cannot count how many tipsy evenings I spent in Tijuana eating bacon wrapped hot dogs from random street vendors in a desperate attempt to sober up before I headed back across the border.  But, this is something different, something very Arizona.  This is the Sonoran Hot Dog!  This spicy, mouth watering pork wrapped wonder is native to Arizona and chances are you wont find it anywhere else.  There are small restaurants in Phoenix that serve it, but, it's origins are in Tucson.   There are so many things to love about this great state and this is most certainly one of them.  The recipe is crazy easy and the flavors it packs are B.I.G.  I would like to present to you a recipe for the amazing Sonoran Hot Dog.  The mayonnaise is part of a traditional Sonoran hot dog and so is the butter, so don't skimp, just do it!  I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do.

Sonoran Hot Dog
By: Vanessa Madigan

Ingredients:
1 avocado, cubed
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
jalapeno sauce (recipe is below)
mayonnaise
1 15 oz can pinto beans, drained, rinsed and warm
hot dog buns or bolillo rolls
3 tbs butter
6 hot dogs
6 slices of bacon


Directions:

• Wrap your hot dogs in one strip of bacon.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet or on a griddle and place your bacon wrapped hot dogs on the skillet.   Cook until brown and slightly crispy.
• Toast your hot dog buns.
• When the buns are golden brown, assemble your hot dogs.  Pinto beans first, then jalapeno sauce, tomato, onion, avocado and finally the mayonnaise.

The hot dogs wrapped in bacon

Sonoran desert goodness

Jalapeno Sauce

Ingredients:
1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
12 jalapeño peppers, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon salt


Directions:

• Place the onion in a medium skillet over medium high heat and cook until translucent and golden, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds longer, make sure the garlic doesnt burn. Set aside.
• Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the jalapenos to the hot skillet and cook until the jalapenos are soft and begining to char, add the lime juice, the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and salt and cook until the jalapeños are tender.
• Transfer the jalapeno mixture and the onions and garlic to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.