German Beef Rouladen

Dice pickles and half of the onion, reserving the other half for later use. Place each ingredient into a separate bowl.

Lay the steak on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut horizontally into the steak from the side.  Continue cutting until the entire steak is split into two even slices.

Put each steak between two sheets of plastic wrap, pound the steak with a meat mallet to tenderize the meat, then remove both steaks from the plastic wrap.

Place the steaks on a cutting board, season both sides with salt and black pepper, and spread mustard over one side of the meat.  Place diced pancetta, onions and pickles in the center of each steak, and wrap steak around the filling to form a roll.

Tie the rolls with kitchen twine to hold its shape.

Roughly chop celery, carrots, leeks, and the remaining onion. Heat 5 tablespoons of olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Place beef rolls in the skillet, seam side down, and cook on all sides until browned. Remove rolls to a plate and set aside.

In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and sauté celery, carrots, leeks and onions for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and ½ cup of red wine, and bring to a simmer.  When most of the liquid has evaporated, add remaining red wine. When the wine cooks dry again, stir in chicken stock and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Return beef rolls to the skillet and add sprigs of rosemary. Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and braise beef rolls for 1 hour.

Transfer beef rolls to a cutting board, remove the kitchen twine, and cut into 1-inch-thick slices.  Strain the stock, pour into a medium saucepan, and cook over medium-low heat, until thickened and reduced by half. Spoon gravy over beef rolls and serve with a side of cooked potatoes.