Tres Chic Hot Dog Croissant Recipe

Hot dogs aren't exactly known for being the most high-end food, and in many settings, they're actually considered to be somewhat low-brow at best. This très chic hot dog recipe, however, will alter all your previous conceptions about hot dogs, proving that even they can be elegant, refined, and, well, truly chic. Brought to us by recipe developer Tess Le Moing, these hot dogs reach chic status and give a nod to Le Moing's French roots thanks to a few key components: perfectly-scored hot dogs, bright, fresh toppings like crunchy cornichons, and croissant buns (which we'll touch more on later). 

Now, before you go panicking because you don't have a grill and therefore won't be able to achieve those chic grill marks, fear not. "I don't have a grill and if you don't either, don't worry," Le Moing assures. "There's a perfectly easy method for creating those gorgeous grill marks without a grill." The key is to simply use a knife to score the hot dog yourself, then sear them on a skillet to help define the marks. Though these may be slightly fancier than your average wiener and require a few more ingredients, the process of assembling a très chic hot dog is similarly easy to assembling a non-chic one, so there's nothing stopping you from making your next backyard barbecue a whole lot more elegant.

As expected, you'll need hot dogs for this recipe, and though any frank will technically work, Le Moing recommends springing for something a little more high-end to stay on theme with the recipe. You'll also need small, store-bought croissants to serve as the buns.

For the toppings, you'll be making a marinated onion salad consisting of sliced red and white onion, red wine vinegar (white wine vinegar would also work), sugar, salt, and black pepper. You'll also need a little bit of neutral oil to sear the hot dogs in, whole grain mustard and sliced cornichons for toppings, and optionally some fresh parsley for garnishing.

Combine the onions, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Let marinate for 10 minutes.

Slice the croissants down the middle, lengthwise, but not all the way through.

Use a paring knife to score the hot dogs, making several diagonal slits across the surface.

In a large (10-inch) skillet over medium heat, heat the oil.

Add the hot dogs, scored-side down, and cook, turning regularly, until browned on both sides.

Transfer the hot dogs to a paper towel-lined plate.

Add croissants to the now empty skillet and cook until warm and lightly toasted.

Place the hot dogs in the croissants.

Top with marinated onions, whole grain mustard, slices of cornichon, and parsley if using.

There's no denying that some croissants are better than others, and when you think of the better ones, there's a good chance that big, flaky, bakery-bought croissants come to mind. While those types of croissants are delicious on their own, as it turns out, they might not be the best vessels for hot dogs. "Don't splurge on the high-quality bakery croissants here," Le Moing advises. "They're flakier, crispier, and much larger which I found wasn't ideal as a substitute hot dog bun."

So, what kind of croissants should you use? Well, your wallet will be grateful, because the best type of croissant to use in this hot dog recipe is the kind you can find at just about any grocery store. Le Moing advises to look for ones on the smaller side, about 7 inches long or hot dog length, roughly. She also notes that the croissants need to be the straight kind, not the crescent ones, pretty as they may be, as it would be pretty challenging to evenly slice a crescent-shaped croissant down the middle and stick a straight hot dog into it. Regardless of exactly what type of croissant you do end up with, however, be sure to give them a healthy toasting before piling on the goodies, or else you'll be left with a sad, soggy croissant.

Pickle lovers or those familiar with French cuisine may be familiar with cornichons. In America, cornichons are perhaps better known as gherkins, and as Le Moing explains, they're simply a type of tiny pickle that is super crunchy and tart. "In France, they're commonly paired with rich and salty meats which is why I thought they'd work nicely with hot dogs," Le Moing explains, adding that their conveniently small size makes them great for garnishing hot dogs. In a pinch, you could slice up another type of pickle and use those as garnish instead of cornichons.

Speaking of topping swaps, you have a few other options to work with should you want to switch things up. Whole grain mustard adds a sharp and beautiful appeal to the hot dogs, though you could easily drizzle on some Dijon or even plain yellow mustard instead. If you want to amp up the French aspect of your dogs, you could opt for caramelized onions instead of marinated ones or add a cheesy flair with shredded Gruyere. Finally, Le Moing also recommends a simple aioli if the mustard isn't quite saucy enough for you.