It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere Friday: Mini Corn Dogs with Onion Sauce

More cute food to celebrate the end of the day and the end of the week.  Give me a mini corn dog and some good dipping sauce and I'll follow you anywhere.

Little smoked sausages are skewered, dipped in cornbread batter, and quickly fried.  I used masa harina because it has a finer texture than regular corn meal.  That way the coating is fairly light, not dry and bready, and it doesn't overwhelm the little pups.  The onion sauce comes straight from the street carts of New York City.

Mini Smoked Corn Dogs        ~~~adapted from the NYT 
serves 4  
vegetable oil

• Pour the oil to a depth of about 2 inches in a saucepan.  Heat to 350-375 degrees.

 1 14 oz package mini smoked sausages or cocktail wieners

• Spear the mini sausages onto long toothpicks or cocktail skewers, set aside.

1 cup masa harina (or regular corn meal)
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder

• Whisk the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl 

1 egg
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (possibly more)

• Beat the egg and buttermilk.  Add to the dry ingredients and mix well.  If the batter is too thick for dipping, add a little more buttermilk.
• Working with 2 at a time, dip the mini dogs in the batter, swirling around to completely coat, then tap off the excess and drop into the hot oil, stick and all.  Fry a few at a time, stirring gently to ensure that they brown evenly.  They will fry to a golden brown in about 2 minutes.
• Set the dogs on a rack or paper towel to drain while you fry the rest.

New York Street Style Onion Sauce  ~~~adapted from Food.com
makes 1 cup
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, minced
2 cups water
1/4 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp corn syrup
1 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp vinegar
pinch hot pepper flakes
1/2 tsp salt

• Saute the onion for five minutes, until it's softened but not browned.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 45 minutes, until reduced and thickened.
• Cool and refrigerate until needed.

Notes:  I didn't have any trouble getting the batter to stick to the dogs, but if you do, lightly dust them with a little flour or cornstarch first. If you're wondering whether you can do a baked version, I tried and wasn't happy with the results.  Even with a thicker batter, it slides down off the dog before it can cook in the oven. 

Also try these with Hot Pepper Honey, or Homemade Ketchup or Hot, Sweet 'n Smokey Mustard .

One year ago today---

Drinking Chocolate