As seen in anime and elaborate Japanese bentos, octopus hotdogs make joyful toppers over rice or noodles. They’re also a fun way to enjoy CDO Idol Cheesedogs, which spark extra joy with their cheese-studded interior. Each bite will make you feel like a kid again.
We like to pan-fry the cheesedog “tentacles” until they form a lightly crisp crust with a bit of caramelized cheese. These octopi will look cute over fried rice or a sea of cheesy noodles.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 6 CDO Idol Cheesedogs
- black sesame seeds (optional)
Cut cheesedogs in half: Working one piece at a time, slice CDO Idol Cheesedog in half. Each half makes one cheesedog octopus.
Slice: With a sharp knife in one hand and the other securing the cheesedog on the cutting board, carefully make a horizontal slice into the cheesedog. Make sure not to cut all the way through, leaving about an inch at the end.
Turn the cheesedog 90 degrees; the horizontal slice you just made should now be vertical. Make another horizontal cut, forming a cross-shaped cut, dividing the bottom of the cheesedog into 4 segments or tentacles.
Slice again: Turn the sliced cheesedog by 45 degrees; the cross-shaped cuts should now look like an X. Same as before, make a deep horizontal slice into the cheesedog, turn 90 degrees, and slice again. Your cheesedog should now have 8 eight segments (eight tentacles!). Repeat with remaining cheesedog halves.
Cook: Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Push each cheesedog octopus down onto the pan, tentacle side down, slowly twirling the cheesedog so the tentacles flare out. Pan-fry to secure the tentacles in place, until crispy edges start to form. Repeat with remaining cheesedogs. Serve.
Add eyes (optional): To add eyes to each octopus, use a toothpick to poke two shallow holes into the cheesedog. Fill each hole with a black sesame seed.
