We're having the Heat Wave of the Century here in Stumptown, it was 97 at noon, headed for 107 or 108 (108 would be a new all-time high temperature). When lunch hour and the hungrys both arrived, I got ready to make a Hot Dog, but found out that I would have to thaw some Brats first, plus I really wanted a cold lunch. Being the essential lazy chef, I looked through my deli drawer in the RivrFridge to see what might entice my palate.
Some deli ham...naaah, I'm hammed out after last week, when I ate it almost every day. How about a nice cheese sand, could have Cheddar, Velveeta or Provolone? Naaah, I needed MEAT in my sandwich, didn't have meat for brekky.
That's when my groping fingers came up with the Summer Sausage. Hmmm, slice some thin and make a sandwich, maybe with the Provolone. Naaaah, had one of those two days ago, and I was REALLY jonesing for a Hot Dog, but conflicted because I didn't want it hot.
The light bulb went on.
How about a "Summer Dog" instead?
OK, assemble the ingredients:
As you can see, I've already made one and consumed it (have to have a tester, doncha know). The "secret" here is to slice the summer sausage LENGTHWISE to better fit the hot dog bun. First I halved it lengthwise, then halved the halves, then halved the quarters.
Open up a bun and decorate with your usual condiments, mine, shown above, are sweet relish and deli mustard (I like Gulden's better than Grey Poupon, but that's just because I grew up in DeeCee and ate good deli food there long before the French moutarde fine de Dijon was ever imported. Assemble the wedges onto the decorated bun:
Serve with a side of decent deli pickle spears:
A light lunch fit for warm weather. Soup was nice too, I had COLD lentil & ham soup (of my own making, of course).
Total time to prepare the meal: about 5 minutes.
Taste note: If you are going to eat sausage cold, it needs to be a sausage that has enough flavor to stand up cold. If you are going to eat it in a flimsy hot dog bun, it needs to be either caseless or if it has a casing, it can't be the kind that takes teeth to break, like on most decent deli dogs. Those have too much strength when cold. The summer sausage is just perfect for this purpose. It's flavor is better cold than warm, and it is made with just the right compression to not fall apart, but not to require a stout casing, either. You can find it on sale for $5-7 for a two-pounder if you wait for the sale, then stock up.
Feel free to copy the idea. This would also make a perfect picnic meal. Just wrap your sausage in an old glossy magazine (makes a perfect picnic table cutting board, you toss it when done) and everything else stays in it's original package until you get to the park. Your folder knife will do a decent job on the summer sausage, just don't lick the blade clean afterwards!.