• 1 or more dried chipotle chilies
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup minced bacon
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 2 cups cored and chopped tomatoes, preferably fresh and ripe
• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds strip sirloin, skirt or rib-eye steak
• Salt and pepper to taste

Start a charcoal or gas grill; fire should be quite hot, and rack about 4 inches from the heat source. If using oven, turn it to its maximum temperature. Put chipotle in a bowl, and add boiling water to cover.

Put olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; a minute later, add bacon, and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Add onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is softened, about 5 minutes. Lower heat, stem and seed chipotle and add it (or a piece of it, to taste), along with tomatoes; adjust heat so mixture simmers steadily but not violently. (Reserve chipotle soaking liquid.)

Season steaks with salt and pepper. Grill about 4 minutes on a side, or until they reach desired degree of doneness. If cooking steaks inside, heat a cast iron or other heavy skillet over high heat 3 to 4 minutes. Add steak, and, a minute later, transfer pan to oven; turn after about 4 minutes, and continue to cook to the desired degree of doneness.

When tomatoes break up, taste sauce; add salt and pepper as needed and, if it is not hot enough, a bit of the chipotle-soaking liquid or reserved chipotle. When steaks are done, serve them with sauce.