Grillades

2 pounds boneless beef steaks (chuck or top round), about 1/2-inch thickCoarse salt and freshly ground black pepper6 tablespoons bacon drippings or peanut or vegetable oil3 tablespoons all-purpose flour1 large yellow onion (about 8 ounces), chopped into 3/4-inch pieces1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped into 3/8-inch pieces2 celery stalks, chopped into 3/8-inch pieces2 garlic cloves, minced2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme2 tablespoons tomato paste 1/2 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste1 cup beef, veal, or chicken stock, homemade or store-boughtSlice the steaks crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips. Season all over with salt and pepper. Using a meat mallet or the bottom of a small heavy saucepan, pound the strips to a 1/4-inch thickness.Heat 3 tablespoons of the bacon drippings or oil in a large deep heavy skillet (12-inch) or a Dutch oven (5- to 6-quart) over medium-high heat. Lift a strip of steak with tongs and lower just the tip into the hot fat. If it doesn't sizzle immediately, wait another 20 to 30 seconds before trying again. Once the fat is hot, add only as many strips of steak as will fit without crowding and sear them, flipping once, until mahogany colored in spots and around the edges, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Set aside on a large plate, without stacking, and continue searing the remaining steaks.For the roux and braising liquid: Once all the steak strips are browned, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the remaining 3 tablespoons drippings or oil to the skillet. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon to make a smooth paste, or roux. Expect to see black specks in the roux left from browning the meat; the roux itself will be dirty beige. Continue to stir gently but continuously until the roux begins to glisten, about 5 minutes.Stir in the onion, green pepper and celery until evenly coated with the roux. Cook over medium-low stirring often, until the vegetables begin to become limp and fragrant (you'll smell the bell pepper most), about 20 minutes. The roux will darken from a dirty beige color to more like caramel, and the moisture released from the vegetables will help keep it from scorching. Don't stray far from the stove, though, when the roux and vegetables are cooking. You have to be vigilant about stirring every few minutes so that nothing sticks or scorches.Stir in the garlic, thyme, tomato paste, paprika, cayenne and a healthy sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring once or twice, for another 3 minutes. Slowly pour in the stock, stirring until smooth. Increase the heat to medium and boil for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the sauce thickens to the consistency of gravy.To braise: Adjust the heat to low and wait for the sauce to slow to a quiet simmer. Return the steak to the skillet, along with any juices that have pooled on the plate, stir to combine the meat with the sauce and the vegetables, and cover tightly. After about 5 minutes, check to see that the sauce is only simmering sluggishly. If it is too close to a boil, you'll wind up with tough steak. If necessary, lower the heat or place a heat diffuser beneath the pan. Continue to braise, lifting the lid every 25 minutes or so to stir, until the steaks are fork-tender and the sauce is quite thick, about 1 hour.Remove the grillades from the heat and taste for salt, pepper and cayenne. The sauce should be piquant.Serves six.Nutrition values per serving: 361 calories (45.7 percent from fat), 18.3 g fat (3.9 g saturated fat), 8 g carbohydrates, 1.5 g fiber, 36.5 g protein, 88 mg cholesterol, 660 mg sodium.Lean Notes: Searing the beef in 1 tablespoon oil and using 1 tablespoon in the roux reduces calories to 283 (30.5 percent from fat) per serving and fat to 9.6 grams a serving."All About Braising: The Art of Uncomplicated Cooking" by Molly Stevens (2004 W.W. Norton & Co., $35)