Open-Faced Turkey Sandwiches

Vegetable oil, for frying 1 cup cornmeal ¾ cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup sugar 4 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon kosher salt ¼-½ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 ¼ cups buttermilk 1 egg, lightly beaten 8 hot dogs (beef) Flour for dredging hot dogs in 8 - 8-inch long thick wooden sticks Hot Chinese mustard (or your choice)

Heat a deep-fryer to 360°F or pour 5 inches of oil into a large pot and heat over medium-high heat to 360°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cayenne. Add the buttermilk and egg and stir with a spoon unit a thick batter forms (much thicker than pancake batter). Scrape the batter with a rubber spatula into a tall drinking glass. Chill for 15 minutes to help the batter adhere to the hotdogs. Pat the hot dogs dry with a paper towel and run a skewer through each of them lengthwise, making sure to leave enough for a handle. Put some flour on a plate. Roll the hot dogs on the plate of flour and shake off the excess. One at a time, dip the hot dogs into the glass of batter to coat completely, including the bottom where the hot dog meets the stick. Shake off some of the excess, twirling the hot dog at the same time to keep the batter uniform. As you work, if the batter gets too thick, add a splash of buttermilk, but not too much or the batter won't cling. 2 or 3 at a time, gently drop the coated dogs into the oil, making sure not to move them so the batter sets around the dogs and fry until nice and deep golden and crisp, turning once during cooking, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve hot with mustard.