SONORAN HOT DOGS
Serves 4.
This recipe from "Man Bites Dog: Hot Dog Culture in America" calls for store-bought refried beans, guacamole and salsa verde; you can always make your own. "In Arizona these are served with a grilled güero chile and a grilled knob onion," write authors Bruce Kraig and Patty Carroll, noting you can substitute an Anaheim pepper for the güero.
• 4 hot dogs (6 to a pound are better)
• 4 strips bacon (chicken or turkey bacon are fine)
• 4 bolillos (Mexican rolls), split but not cut through
• 3/4 c. refried beans
• 1/2 c. prepared guacamole
• 1/2 c. shredded quesadilla cheese or another Mexican melting cheese, or Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 large tomato, finely diced, or more if desired
• Mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup salsa verde, or more if needed
Directions
Wrap a strip of bacon around each hot dog; place on a hot griddle or grill. Cook until bacon is crispy. (The cooking time will vary with heat of grill.)
Meanwhile, place a layer of beans and guacamole on the sides of each split bolillo. Settle a hot dog in each bun. Cover each with a layer of cheese, onion and tomato. Garnish with mayonnaise and salsa verde.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories660Fat28 gSodium1,640 mg
Carbohydrates74 gSaturated fat11 gProtein27 gCholesterol53 mgDietary fiber6 g
SOUTHWESTERN TEPARY BEAN DIP
Makes 4 cups.
This recipe by Gwen Ashley Walters calls for white tepary beans, which are grown in Arizona. The beans soak up lots of liquid during cooking, so make sure to cover them generously with water. You may substitute other dried beans, like small navy beans. A larger bean should be soaked overnight. Walters' recipe also calls for chiltepin, a very small dried chile "that packs a whopping punch." Substitute red chili flakes or omit the heat entirely. Walters uses Mexican dried oregano, but Mediterranean oregano will do. Serve the dip with vegetables: Walters suggests carrots, bell peppers and jicama. Crackers or tortilla chips also work, especially those made with blue corn.
• 1 1/2 c. dried tepary beans, see Note
• 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt, divided
• 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• Zest of half a lemon, about 1 tsp.
• 2 to 3 tbsp. lemon juice
• 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ground Mexican oregano (or 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes), see Note
• 2 to 3 chiltepin chiles, optional, see Note
• Cilantro sprig
Directions
Pick through the beans and remove any sticks, stones or other debris. Rinse well and drain. Place in a saucepan; cover with at least 4 inches of water. Heat to a boil; then reduce heat to low. Simmer until tender but not mushy, adding more liquid as necessary to keep covered, about 1 1/2 hours. Add 1 teaspoon salt in the last 10 minutes of cooking. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid.
Place the beans in a food processor. Pour in 3/4 to 1 cup of reserved cooking liquid (or water); process until chunky. Add more cooking liquid or water if necessary to get a thick, dip-like consistency. Add the oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, cumin, oregano, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and chiles; pulse until smooth. Taste; add more salt or lemon juice if needed. Transfer to a bowl. May be made up to two days in advance. Store covered in the fridge.
To serve, garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, top with a sprig of cilantro. Serve with sliced vegetables, crackers or tortilla chips.
Nutrition information per serving of 1 tablespoon:
Calories22Fat1 gSodium66 mg
Carbohydrates3 gSaturated fat0 gProtein1 gCholesterol0 mgDietary fiber1
