Junior Pepper lived down the road near my great-aunt Carrye, who was a widow. (Almost all the older ladies out that way are widows, it seems.) Junior Pep, as he is known to all, makes the rounds checking on his lady friends a couple of times a week and calling their relatives if anything seems amiss. He has always been a ladies’ man. Junior Pep raised cattle and when I think of pepper steak he always comes to mind.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　3 tablespoons olive oil

　　1 (1- to 2-pound) sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes

　　1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour

　　2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

　　1 large onion, thickly sliced

　　2 cups beef broth

　　Pinch of red pepper flakes (or dash of hot sauce)

　　Dash of Worcestershire sauce

　　Splash of red wine

　　1 green bell pepper, chopped

　　1 red bell pepper, chopped

　　1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

　　

Step 1

Heat the oven to 350°F.

　　

Step 2

In a large pan set over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the steak and cook, turning, until well browned on all sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer the steak to a 2 1/2-quart baking dish.

　　

Step 3

Stir the flour into the pan drippings. Cook, stirring constantly, until dark brown, about 2 minutes. Add the celery and onion, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Stir in the broth, red pepper flakes, Worcestershire sauce, and wine. Bring the mixture to a boil. Pour the hot mixture over the steak in the baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour.

　　

Step 5

Add the bell peppers and continue to bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until the steak is fork-tender. Baste the steak with sauce as it cooks, if needed.

　　A Southerly Course