Cheeseburger hot dogs with sticky sweet-sour onions

• ground beef 15‑20% fat↗500g g
• vegetable oil↗

  for greasing

• slices of your favourite cheese4
• hot dog buns↗4
• cornichons↗1

  sliced (optional)

• sunflower oil↗2 tbsp tbsp
• onion↗4

  thinly sliced

• golden sugar↗1 tsp tsp
• apple cider vinegar↗1 tbsp tbsp

  malt, red or white

• mayonnaise↗4 tbsp tbsp
• mustard↗2 tsp tsp

  (American or English, depending on your taste)

• ketchup↗1 tsp tsp

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   If making your own burger sauce, mix all ingredients in a small bowl, cover and chill until use. It can be made up to two days ahead. Place the ground beef in a bowl and season well with salt and pepper. Hand‑mix, then divide into four portions. Shape each into a sausage slightly longer than the hot‑dog buns. Gently roll on a tray to even out, then cover and chill for at least 1 hour. It will keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

2. 2

   Light the barbecue and wait until the coals are ashy, or set a gas grill to high heat. For the onions, heat the oil in a cast‑iron skillet over the grill (or do it in a pan on the stove). Sprinkle the onions with a generous pinch of salt and sugar and cook 20‑25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn golden and slightly charred in spots. Carefully add the vinegar and cook a few more minutes until the onions are soft like jam. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. 3

   Brush a little oil on the hot dogs and grill for 10 minutes, until cooked with characteristic char lines all around. Cover the hot dogs with cheese slices and cook a few more minutes until the cheese melts — if your grill has a lid, close it to melt the cheese quickly. Meanwhile, toast the split sides of the buns if desired. Fill the buns with the hot dogs, then add the sticky onions, cornichons and burger sauce, or any of your favourite seasonings.