Brooklyn's Corniest Hot Dogs

Ingredients

• 3 slices bacon thick cut cut into small lardons
• 4 servings pepper black freshly ground
• 2 tablespoons canola oil 
• 1 pinch ground pepper 
• 0.3 cup cotija cheese grated
• 3  ears corn 
• 1 tablespoon cilantro leaves fresh finely chopped
• 4  hot dogs (recommended: Boar's Head natural casing)
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce (recommended: Mazi)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
• 0.5  lime quartered
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (recommended: Kewpie)
• 2 large onion finely chopped
• 4  potato buns (recommended: Martin's)
• 4 tablespoons butter salted melted
• 0.5 teaspoon sugar 
• 2 tablespoons coarse mustard 

Equipment

• frying pan
• grill

Directions

1. Watch how to make this recipe.
2. Saute the lardons in a frying pan over medium heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy. Reserve the bacon lardons for garnish and reserve bacon fat for cooking the onions.
3. Put the onions into the bacon fat, season with a 1/2 teaspoon of salt to draw out moisture and cook gently over medium heat until caramelized, about 20 minutes. Reserve.
4. Put 2 tablespoons of canola oil in a hot pan over medium heat. When the oil starts to smoke, add the corn kernels 1/2 teaspoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste.
5. Saute over high heat until the corn starts to caramelize, stirring frequently.
6. Remove from heat and add 1 tablespoon cilantro. Reserve for later.
7. Heat a grill to high.
8. Put the hot dogs on the grill and sear until slightly charred.
9. Brush lightly with hot sauce while still on the grill. Meanwhile, brush the inside of the buns with melted butter and arrange, butter side down, on the grill. Grill until lightly golden brown, about 30 seconds.
10. Thinly spread the mayonnaise and mustard on each bun.
11. Put the hot dogs into the buns and sprinkle with a tablespoon of caramelized onions. Top with a tablespoon of lardons and 2 tablespoons of corn mixture.
12. Sprinkle each with 1/2 tablespoon of Cotija cheese and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Squeeze a little lime on each hot dog and serve.