Max Halley's Reuben(esque) hot dogs and prawn and pork toasts are ideal for football gatherings. These half-time snacks are quick to assemble and sure to score highly with friends.
Both sausage-based delights are great for a gathering, can be prepared in advance, and go really well with ice-cold beers. Whether your team is winning or losing, everyone will consider you the Cristiano Ronaldo of half-time snacks if you serve either of these. The prawn and sausage toasts can be made in advance and kept in the fridge with greaseproof paper between slices; just fry them when needed. Similarly, for the hot dogs, prep everything in advance, then boil the sausages, steam the buns, and enjoy.
Reuben(esque) Hot Dogs
This hot dog is a little piece of heaven, inspired by Katz's Deli in New York. Use less industrial sausages from a Polish shop for better quality.
Ingredients
- 2 thumb-thick smoked sausages (e.g., kielbasa myśliwska or frankfurters)
- 2 hot dog buns, split lengthways
- 1 pinch caraway seeds
- 1 small pinch fine sea salt
- 60g sauerkraut (drained weight)
- 2 tbsp very finely chopped onion
For the Pangrattato
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 20g fresh sourdough breadcrumbs
For the Russian Dressing
- 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 heaped tbsp coarsely grated or finely chopped gherkins
- ¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp white-wine vinegar
- 3 good dashes Tabasco
Method
- Make the pangrattato: fry breadcrumbs in olive oil until deep golden brown, then drain.
- Mix all Russian dressing ingredients in a bowl; taste and adjust.
- Bring 2.5cm water to a boil in a saucepan. Boil sausages for 5 minutes. If using a steamer, steam buns briefly until soft.
- Grind caraway seeds and salt to a powder in a mortar.
- Lay a hot sausage in each bun, cover with Russian dressing, roll to coat, add more sauce. Top with sauerkraut, raw onion, caraway powder, and pangrattato.
Sausage and Prawn Toasts
This recipe from Lorcan Spiteri adds sausagemeat to prawn toast for a denser, chewier texture. Serve with sweet chilli sauce mixed with extra vinegar, or simply with a cold beer.
Ingredients
- 400g raw peeled king prawns
- 200g sausagemeat or skinned sausages, at room temperature
- 2 tsp light or Japanese soy sauce
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 2 tsp rice, malt, or white-wine vinegar
- 3 large garlic cloves, peeled and grated or finely chopped
- 20g fresh root ginger, peeled and grated or finely chopped
- 1 red chilli, stalk, pith, and seeds discarded, flesh finely chopped
- 3 tbsp finely chopped coriander
- 5 tbsp black sesame seeds
- 5 tbsp white sesame seeds
- 6 extra-thick slices soft white bread
- 400–500ml rapeseed or vegetable oil
- Condiments of choice (optional)
Method
- Dry prawns between kitchen paper.
- Blitz sausagemeat with half the prawns, soy sauce, fish sauce, vinegar, garlic, and ginger until smooth.
- Chop remaining prawns into small chunks; mix with paste, chilli, and coriander.
- Mix sesame seeds on a flat plate. Spread prawn mixture on bread, press into seeds.
- Refrigerate slices seeded side up with baking paper between them for at least 1 hour.
- Heat oven to 70°C. Heat oil to 180°C. Fry slices seeded side down for 2.5 minutes, flip, and repeat. Keep cooked slices warm in oven.
- Cut diagonally and serve with condiment or beer.
These recipes are edited extracts from Cooking with Sausages: Delicious Things to Make with Everything from Chipolatas to Chorizo by Max Halley, published by DK at £16.99.
