What do you get when you cross a classic New England-style lobster roll with a West Virginia-style hot dog?
A lobster dog.
Handcrafted by Chef Chris McDonald at Von Blaze, the lobster dog is made with fresh lobster and shrimp sausage, napa cabbage slaw, brown butter mayo, and fingerling potato chips on a toasted New England style bun.
“[It’s] a twist on a lobster roll or local style hotdog depending on which way you want to look at it. It’s fresh, a twist on a classic, and made from scratch,” McDonald said. “Our lobster dog … encompasses what we really do here.”
The Morgantown chef opened Von Blaze with his fiancée, April Passano, in 2021 after working for decades at iconic restaurants under prominent chefs in the region, including the dearly departed Glasshouse Grille.
“That is where I really learned what scratch cooking was about and the pride and creativity that goes into it,” he said, noting that high standards and quality food were foundational in his restaurant experience.
Those lessons McDonald learned throughout the years have culminated in Von Blaze, located in the former Maxwell’s space — another former titan in the Morgantown food scene.
“I enjoy every day I’m in the kitchen,” McDonald said.
His kitchen is crafting “Drummies,” frenched chicken drumsticks fried crisp and tossed in your choice of sauce like a creamy garlic sauce with shaved Parmesan reggiano and black pepper; “Fry Plates” made of Chipperbec fries topped with braised short rib, bordelaise sauce, white cheese sauce and crispy onion; and sandwiches, like the “Pot Liquor Pork” with smoked, peppered pork shoulder, sliced thin and dipped in smoky pork jus, with collard greens, aged provolone and brown mustard on a local Italian bun.
And it’s all made in house.
“Our whole crew — my Sous Chef Steve Sturms, Chef Andrew Passaro, my man-of-many-skills Boobie McDougale — we just want to have fun in what we are doing and make some killer food. It’s a blast to do what we do, learning and growing every day.”
For more information, visit https://vonblaze.com/.
RECIPE: Lobster dog with Napa slaw, fingerling chips & brown butter mayo
This is a scaled down version from what is used at the restaurant. The base sausage recipe can be used for links or patties. The patties are very nice blackened with avocado and a cumin seasoned slaw.
Special equipment needed:
sausage stuffer
food processor
mandoline
Lobster Sausage Stuffing
1 Lb raw shrimp, cleaned and deceived
1 egg white
2 tsp heavy cream
1 Lb raw lobster tail meat
2 tsp old bay
3/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 clove finely chopped garlic
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper
Pinch paprika
Sheep casings for stuffing- thoroughly rinsed and soaked for 10 minutes.
Combine cleaned shrimp and egg whites to the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth. With the processor running, slowly add heavy cream. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and store in the refrigerator.
Remove lobster meat from shells, being sure to check for any remaining shell bits. Coarsely chop lobster meat and add to shrimp mixture. Add remaining ingredients and gently fold together. Add mix to your sausage stuffer and stuff into cleaned and soaked sheep casings. Keep refrigerated.