“I made a lot of mistakes in my mind, in my mind.”
Theme song by Sufjan Stevens “Chicago” from Illinois
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I think Sufjan Stevens is ok. He’s fine. I wouldn’t necessarily seek him out to play, but if he shows up in a playlist, I’m not skipping it. To me, he’s a tad twee & indie hipster version of Stephen Bishop in Animal House.
Except for the theme song here.
This song sticks in my head in a way no other Stevens song ever will. It’s a cinematic epic. A cross-country road trip anthem of self-discovery & coming of age. It’s heartbreaking. And it’s a glorious indie pop earworm.
I get similar feelings about Chicago Dogs. They are an epic culinary road trip across everything in a cold line piled on tubular meat. And basically they are a salad.
DROVE TO CHICAGO
Serves 2 as a side or 1 as a meal
1 hot dog, diced
1 hot dog, sliced on a bias
2 tablespoons sweet pickle vinaigrette
2 cups chopped lettuce (I used romaine & green leaf, but you do you)
1 cup chopped red cabbage
1/4 cup cherry tomato, sliced in half
2 tablespoons diced red onion
1 tablespoon chopped dill pickles
1 tablespoon chopped pepperoncini
4oz ditalini
Poppy seed bun croutons
Fry the diced hot dog in a skillet over medium heat until crispy, like bacon bits. Use a slotted spoon to remove it from the pan and let it drain on a paper towel. Add the sliced hot dog and cook until lightly charred. Remove it from the skillet and drain on a paper towel.
Place the vinaigrette in the bottom of a large bowl. Add the lettuce, red cabbage, hot dog bacon bits, cherry tomato, red onion, dill pickles, pepperoncini, & ditalini. Toss to coat the salad thoroughly. Place the salad on a platter or in a large serving bowl. Top with croutons & sliced charred hot dogs.
Sweet Pickle Vinaigrette
Makes about 1 cup
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of minced sweet pickles
1 teaspoon sweet pickle brine
2 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
Place everything except the olive oil in a bowl & whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Poppy Seen Bun Croutons
2 buns
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Toss everything together & spread on a sheet pan in a 350°F oven. Bake until golden.