“All I wanted was a Pepsi. Just one Pepsi. And she wouldn’t give it to me. Just a Pepsi.”
Theme song by Suicidal Tendencies “Institutionalized” from Suicidal Tendencies
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Despite being in college & on a college radio station in the 80s. I was never a punk rocker. I didn’t buy much punk. Didn’t listen to much punk. But I knew a lot of punk rock through my job at a record store. I appreciated the DIY ethos. The chaos. The “Fuck The Man” attitude. It was the perfect outlet for 80s teen angst, and no one needed any talent to join in. My love of zine culture started with 80s punk zines. While I didn’t listen to much punk, I did have a few favorite songs. The theme here tops the list. Mike Muir’s absolute pitch-perfect portrait of a kid who just \wanted a Pepsi is a classic of L.A. Punk,. The subsequent low-budget video made Muir & ST icons of West Coast punk.
When choosing a name for my version of the iconic L.A. Danger Dog, I naturally thought of this song. Real L.A. Danger Dogs are culinary punk rock. Sketchy DIY cooking rigs with no health or licensing oversight, turning out bacon-wrapped street meat topped with grilled veg & jalapeños.
This is drunk food.
Stoner food.
And it’s always better with a Pepsi
INSTITUTIONALIZED
Bacon-wrapped hot dogs, pepper jack cheese, charred onions & shishitos, salsa roja, salsa verde, pico de gallo, Tajín tortilla strips, & a Pepsi
Makes 2 dogs
2 hot dogs
2 hot dog buns
2-4 strips of bacon, depending on the size of your dogs
2-3 slices pepper jack cheese
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
6-8 shishito peppers, sliced on a bias
1 6” tortilla (flour or corn), sliced into thin strips
Salsa Roja (see recipe below)
Salsa Verde (see recipe below)
Pico de gallo (see recipe below)
Vegetable oil
Tajin
Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Wrap the hot dogs in bacon.
In a bowl, toss the tortilla strips with 1 teaspoon of oil. Season heavily with Tajín & toss to coat. Toss into the skillet & spread into a level layer. Cook, stirring often, until the strips are crispy. Remove from pan & set aside.
Open the buns. Spread salsa roja & salsa verde inside the buns. Set aside.
Place the wrapped hot dogs in the hot skillet. Let the bacon render & crisp, then turn the dogs to keep cooking the bacon. When it’s finished cooking, move to the edge of the pan to stay warm.
Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the bacon fat. Toss in the onion & peppers. Cook until charred. While the onion & pepper are cooking, divide the cheese between the dogs & melt in the skillet.
To assemble, place a cheese-covered bacon-wrapped dog in each bun. Add some pepper & onions, pico de gallo, & fried tortilla strips. Open a cold Pepsi & get messy.
Salsa Roja
4 dried pulla chiles
2 dried ancho chiles
3 large tomatoes, quartered
3 tomatillos, husked, halved
1/2 medium white onion, halved
1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeded and halved
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 cup Pepsi
1 medium lime, juiced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
De-stem the chiles & soak in hot water for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the tomatoes, tomatillos, onion, & pepper on a sheet pan & roast under the broiler until charred.
Once the vegetables are charred, put them in a blender with chiles, garlic, lime juice, Pepsi, and salt. Blend until smooth. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Salsa Verde
5 medium tomatillos
1/2 small yellow onion, cut into large chunks
2 jalapeño peppers
4 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Remove the husks from the tomatillos and rinse to remove the stickiness. Pat dry and place on the baking sheet with the onion and peppers. Drizzle with oil & toss to coat. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tomatillos are juicy and browned.
Place the tomatillos, onion, peppers, garlic, lime juice, & salt in a food processor. Process until combined. If the salsa is too thick, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to reach your desired consistency. Store leftover salsa in an airtight container in the fridge.
Pico de gallo
1 plum tomato – cored, seeded, and diced fine
1 poblano, diced fine
1 red pepper, diced fine
1 jalapeño, diced fine
1/2 sweet onion, diced fine
1 lime, juiced
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Place the tomato, peppers & onion in a medium bowl. Add lime juice and spices. Mix thoroughly. Allow to rest on the counter for 15 minutes. Place in an airtight container & store in the fridge.