By Craig Nelson
This month’s recipe is a creation inspired by the “Polaroni” from Fargo, North Dakota. The Polaroni is a monster of a sandwich that was created by Bill Bush while working at Station Three on the north side of Fargo. Not wanting to be outdone, Station Two on the south side of Fargo came up with a rival they call the “Southside Dog,” another oversized artery clogger. Both sandwiches are extremely large and taste incredible, but they are not exactly the healthiest foods out there, so I don’t recommend them as part of your normal diet. They should probably be saved for that once-in-awhile overindulgence.
Does your department create recipes? Do you enjoy cooking together as a crew? If so, get together with your crew and let me know by sending in a recipe! I know Fargo is not the only hotbed of creative (maybe just excessive) cooking ideas? This could also just be that the Fargo firefighters are skipping creative and going straight to practical by throwing all of their favorite ingredients into one meal and calling it a recipe. But why split hairs over how it came about? The important thing is how it tastes.
This month’s recipe comes from Josh the “Tiny Giant” Christofferson and Mike “Grits” Ambrose (both firefighters in the Fargo Fire Department). Josh is a big guy; when he was a rookie, he ordered one little taco for supper in front of another firefighter. Little did he know that one mistake would stick with him for years. The name stuck because everyone began calling him the giant with the tiny little appetite, which evolved into the Tiny Giant. Mike got his nickname because he is from down South and loves grits. He also says “dang” a lot and against all healthy eating habits once ate a full South Side Dog in one sitting (please do not try to repeat this at home). He didn’t even get a free T-shirt but retains all bragging rights.
Being a Fargo firefighter myself, I decided to have the gang over to my house to build this behemoth called the Southside Dog. In a crew or a group it is actually fun to make and, of course, tastes great. Remember, though, that this heart dart should not be part of your regular diet. This column was created to get crews cooking and eating together to build camaraderie, not contribute to LODDs.
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The South Side Dog
Ingredients:
2酵母面包或一个大French loaf
8 bratwurst (choose your favorite type)
4 pieces deli ham (one for each brat)
2 cans chili (with meat and beans)
2 cups shredded cheese (whatever flavor you like)
1 onion (optional)
1 small can diced jalapenos (optional)
Ranch dressing (optional)
Preparation:
1. Boil the bratwurst in water if on shift (beer if at home) for about 10 minutes.
2. Cut the sourdough loaves as if they were giant hot dog buns and then hollow them out, making each into a boat. Or if you choose to use a large French loaf, cut it in half and then cut it like a hot dog bun.
3. After boiling the bratwurst, it is optional to brown them on a grill.
4. Pour chili cans into a pot and warm up on the stove.
5. When brats are ready, wrap one slice of deli ham around each brat, and then place in the sourdough loaf (two by two). There should be four brats in each loaf.
6. Spoon the chili onto the brats.
7. Sprinkle the cheese over the chili.
8. If adding the optional jalapenos and/or onions add them now in an amount suitable to your taste.
9. Place the top of the sourdough loaf back on and put in the oven to toast for 5-10 minutes at 350ºF.
10. Remove, cut in half, and enjoy!
Scores:
Ease: Easy to prepare
Time: About a half an hour
Cost: Around $25.00 total or $6.25 per person
Feeds: 4
I am always looking for more recipes; you don’t need to be a professional chef to share one. If you and your crew enjoy it, then many others would, too. Please share your creations with other firefighters by sending in your favorite recipe. Each article contains a quick introduction to those submitting the recipe, their department, their recipe, and any stories that may surround the legendary dishes. Send recipes and a photo of the finished dish tofirestationcooking@gmail.com. Please include your name and e-mail address.
Eat together when you are able, and stay safe out there.
克雷格-尼尔森has been in the fire service for nine years, working as a volunteer, paid-on-call, and a full-time firefighter/EMT. He works for the Fargo (ND) Fire Department and works part-time at Minnesota State Community and Technical College–Moorhead as a fire instructor. He also works seasonally for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources as a wildland firefighter in Northwest Minnesota. Previously, he was an airline pilot. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in executive fire service leadership.
