Home made corn dogs......-By: Chef John Johnson

I grew up like everyone else with the traditional corn dog. A hot dog dipped in a corn meal batter and deep fried to perfection. I later found out that the first corn dog is claimed by at least three states but I believe that it was at the Texas world's fair sometime in the 1920's is where it all began. Missourians can claim the first corn dog served in a drive in. Working in Los Angeles I was introduce to lobster corn dogs. Tasted so good with a lemon garlic aioli they served with them.

So with Mardi Gras coming up I have been playing with different types of corn dogs. Cajun spiced corn dogs, smoked gator corn dogs, andouille craw fish corn dogs. Using the recipe below as a base I challenge you to come up with your own variety of corn dogs. Hit me up on Facebook and let me try your favorite recipe.

Corn batter mix
1c      yellow cornmeal
1c      all-purpose flour
1       tsp baking powder
1/2     tsp baking soda
1/4     tsp chipotle powder
1/4c    Brown sugar
1 1/2c  buttermilk
1       8oz creamed corn
1/4c    minced onion

There's been a long time habit by chefs and home cooks alike that they need to hold tight their secret recipes, never sharing them or loosing them to time. I tell you this that when I first started working as a cook for a very talented chef in Florida I was given the opportunity to use his short rib recipe. I still have it today. It is the base for the recipe I serve at the buffet at River City today. Over the years I have tweaked it and twisted it until it became mine and now I see my cooks taking my short rib recipe for their own. I can't wait to see them 10 or 15 years from now an see how that recipe grows.

I will have the great pleasure to see how a recipe that was given to me by my mentor so many years ago has been nurtured and grown in my hands and final get to see how it changes and develops in the future. This process is how the history of food has gone since the first time someone decided to cook food over an open fire and create the first recipe.


Playing with your food is not a bad thing anymore!