Completo Italiano

This time 12 years ago I was excitedly preparing to move to Antofagasta, a city in the Chilean Atacama Desert, where I would be teaching English in a university for a year. What a rollercoaster of a year that was! I visited some breathtaking places, photographed beautiful sights, was the sickest I think I've ever been, had some truly life changing experiences, both fabulous, and terrible, and, most importantly, I met some pretty amazing people. I learned a LOT. The experience helped shape who I am today, and the country (and, of course,  the wonderful people I was fortunate to meet), will always hold a very special place in my heart.

In honour of this truly amazing place, I wanted to share one of the most popular dishes of the country- the humble hot dog! In Chile, a hot dog isn't just a hot dog - it's  a completo- a complete meal! Chileans love their food- especially bread, avocado, and mayonnaise. This dish is readily available almost everywhere- from barbecues with friends, to street vendors. Mayonnaise, if not made from scratch at home, is bought in large bags and added to almost every meal. Avocado and beautiful bread, baked fresh daily, are staples eaten every evening with a cup of tea for 'oncecito'. The Complete Italiano (Italian completo) is one of the most popular types of completo and, of course isn't Italian at all! Rather, its name is derived from the colours of the Italian flag (red, white, and green, for those of us who are a bit rusty on flags of the world. Incidentally, the Chilean flag is often confused with the Texan flag as they're so similar!) Enjoy with a tea or cerveza (beer- Kunstmann or Crystal if you can get your paws on either!) for a truly authentic experience!

Ingredients
Bread roll- for a true completo you should use freshly baked bread, marraqueta- a crunchy bread roll- was always my go-to. Of course any sub type roll,  or hotdog bun will do!
Hot dog- you can use anything from a standard hotdog to a artisan bratwurst, here I used a vegan hotdog and cooked on the grill, just like a traditional asado chileno (Chilean barbecue)
Avocado- Palta, as it's called in Chile, is consumed daily and should be mashed with a little salt
Tomatoes- traditionally, these should be finely chopped and mixed with a little salt, although here I have used halved cherry tomatoes for a different texture
Mayonnaise- I used a vegan mayo and spread it on the bun like butter however for a truly authentic experience, mayo should be squirted on top in a thick, wavy line instead of your usual condiments of mustard or ketchup
I added a little cilantro (corriander) for bite and taste, but this isn't traditional!
Disfruta! Enjoy! If you're feeling adventurous, why not create your own version of the completo? A truly versatile dish to be enjoyed as a snack or a full meal como quieras!