Haute Dog Tartine

French-Style Toasted Baguette with Sautéed Onion, Sliced Hot Dogs, and Mustard Béchamel

35 minutes

Serves 4

DinnerFrench

Herb's take

This French-inspired twist on a classic hot dog will have you questioning every ballpark you’ve ever visited. We're taking all the familiar flavors, piling them onto crisp baguette, and finishing with a silky mustard béchamel, a lesson in why deconstruction doesn’t just belong in science labs.

Ingredients

Yield

1 large baguette, sliced on the bias
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 hot dogs, sliced into 1/4-inch coins
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 oz Gruyère cheese, grated

Instructions

01
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until golden and crisp. Set aside.
02
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply caramelized and jammy, about 12-15 minutes.
Herb says
Caramelizing onions is just slow-motion magic, the sugars break down and develop complex flavor, so don’t rush this step.
03
Stir in the hot dog slices. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, until the hot dogs are lightly browned on the edges and the onions are even deeper in color. Remove from pan and cover to keep warm.
04
In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute to form a pale roux.
05
Gradually whisk in the milk, ensuring no lumps form. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and smooth, about 3 minutes.
Herb says
Cooking the flour in fat first prevents gluey sauces by coating every starch molecule, science doesn’t taste like paste here.
06
Remove from heat. Stir in the Dijon mustard and Gruyère until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth.
07
To assemble, arrange toasted baguette slices on plates. Top each slice generously with the caramelized onion and hot dog mixture.
08
Drizzle the mustard béchamel sauce over each tartine. Crack some black pepper over the top and serve warm.
Herb says
Adding the sauce last keeps that bread crispy and means you get maximum aroma from the mustard as it hits the hot tartine.

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