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Video: Yum! Sunny Anderson’s  bacon burger dog

TODAY recipes
updated 7/3/2012 3:21:12 PM ET 2012-07-03T19:21:12

Recipe: Sunny's bacon burger dog

Ingredients
  • 4 fresh pork bratwursts
  • 2 12-ounce beers
  • 1/2 pound ground chuck
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 12-16 strips, center cut bacon
  • 4 hot dog buns
  • Olive oil, for drizzle
  • 1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
  • 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
Preparation

Poach the bratwursts. In a pot just large enough to fit the bratwurst in one layer, add the bratwursts and beer. If needed, top with water to cover the bratwurst by 1 inch. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer. Cook until done, about 12-14 minutes. Remove to a plate and allow to cool completely.

Season the beef. In a bowl add the ground chuck, Worcestershire sauce, salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Gently mix and divide in to fourths.

Wrap the dogs. Assemble one at a time. On a flat surface place a length of plastic wrap. Judge the length of the bratwurst and line bacon strips in a row side by side, overlapping just a bit. Make the width of the bacon slightly shorter than the bratwurst, so 3-4 strips may be required for each. Take a portion of the divided beef and press it on the half of the bacon closest to you. Place the bratwurst on top of the beef and using the plastic wrap as help, tightly roll the bacon and beef around the bratwurst away from you. Using kitchen twine, secure the bacon around the roll in three or four parts along the length. Repeat for the remaining bratwursts.

Grill the dogs and buns. Place the dogs on the grill, bacon seam side down. Grill on all sides until bacon is cooked and crisp, about 10 minutes total. Remove to a plate and allow to rest under loose aluminum foil for 10 minutes. Split hot dog buns and drizzle with olive oil. Place with insides down on the grill and cook until grill marks appear and edges are toasted, about 2-3 minutes.

Assemble the bacon burger dogs. Remove kitchen twine from the bratwurst with scissors and discard. Place bacon burger dogs in each bun and top with chopped onions and cheddar cheese.

Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Serving Size

4 servings

Recipe: Sunny's ginger beer punch

Ingredients
  • 1 pint strawberries, chopped
  • 1 pint blueberries
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup grenadine
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (3-4 limes)
  • 4 12-ounce ginger beers
Preparation

In a bowl add strawberries, blueberries, sugar, grenadine and lime juice. Stir to dissolve as much sugar as possible. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, stirring a couple of times to agitate and help create juices. When ready to serve, pour fruit and juices into a pitcher, top off with ginger beer. Serve over tall glasses packed with ice. Drink!

Preparation time: 1 hour

Serving Size

4-6 servings

Recipe: Sunny's grilled romaine summer salad

Ingredients
  • 24 baby tri-color potatoes
  • 4 carrots, peeled
  • 2 cobs of corn
  • 1/2 bunch baby asparagus, woodsy stalks trimmed
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips
  • 1/2 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips
  • 4 pineapple rings, retain juice in container
  • 2 hearts of romaine lettuce, trimmed and halved lengthwise
  • Olive oil, to drizzle
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Vinaigrette
  • 1 tablespoon pineapple juice (from the container that held the rings)
  • 1 tablespoon grained Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation

Boil the potatoes. Prick the potatoes on all sides with the tines of a fork 1/8-1/4" into the flesh. In a large pot add water and a pinch of salt, stir to dissolve then add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender, about 10-12 minutes. Strain in a colander and place it back over the warm pot to dry the skin of the potatoes. When cool, cut smaller potatoes in half and the others to around the same size, so that they are bite-sized.

Prepare the vegetables for the grill. Cut the carrots into halves equal in length. Then cut the smaller tip of the carrot into fourths lengthwise and the larger half into sixths or eighths. The key is making the spears all the about the same size. Line up these and all the vegetables on a tray along with the pineapple slices and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle all with a pinch or two of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Flip the pineapple rings and lettuce halves. Repeat the drizzle of oil and seasoning with salt and pepper for them only. Roll and jiggle the rest to fully coat them.

Grill the salad. Heat the grill or grill pan to medium high. Excluding the lettuce halves, place vegetables and fruit directly on the grill. Use tongs to tend to the grill. Roll and flip the vegetables until your personal preference for doneness, pulling each off to a tray when done. The carrots and potatoes are best when charred, caramelized, and a bit crispy on the ends, about 10 minutes. Corn is great fresh, so just go for color on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Asparagus are best when charred and maintaining a bit of a snap, about 6 minutes. The bell peppers and pineapples are best when slightly charred, but still juicy, about 6 minutes total. Lastly, Grill the lettuce, starting with the flat side down first. Grill until slightly wilted and charred on both sides, 5-6 minutes total. Remove each to a serving plate, flat side facing up. When the grilled goods are all cool enough to handle, roughly chop the pineapple rings and trim the kernels off the corn. Add both to a large bowl along with the rest.

Make the vinaigrette. In a medium bowl add pineapple juice, mustard, apple cider vinegar, sugar, liquid smoke and whisk until combined. Continue to whisk rigorously while slowly pouring the olive oil into the bowl with your other hand or with the help of a friend, nice to have them in the kitchen! Taste the vinaigrette and season with a pinch of salt and few grinds of black pepper.

Dress the salad. Pour over the bowl then gently toss using tongs. Evenly pile tossed salad on top of lettuce halves on each plate and drizzle the remaining dressing, if any over the top.

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Serving Size

4 servings

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