Jamie's North African Steak with Couscous

Step 1: Prepare the Couscous

Add 1 cup of couscous to a bowl. Take a bunch of mint, twist off the stalks, and add them to the couscous. Pour enough boiling water over the couscous and mint stalks to just cover the couscous. Cover the bowl with a lid and let it plump up for 12-15 minutes.

Step 2: Season and Grill the Steak

Season the 1-inch thick sirloin steak generously with black pepper. Add sea salt on top and press it in, then move the steak around on the cutting board to coat all sides. Place the seasoned steak directly onto the hot part of the barbecue grill. Start cooking on the fat side for about 3 minutes until the fat is brown, golden, and rendered. Flip the steak and continue cooking, flipping periodically, until cooked to your desired doneness (medium-rare to medium is recommended).

Step 3: Toast Almonds and Dress Steak

While the steak is cooking, place a pan on the barbecue grill and add a handful of flaked almonds. Toast the almonds until they are nice and golden brown. Once the steak is cooked, remove it from the grill and place it on a plate to rest. Drizzle a little honey (1-2 tsp) over the resting steak. Sprinkle the toasted almonds over the steak.

Step 4: Prepare and Cook Vegetables

Halve the cherry tomatoes. Take some of the oil from the jarred artichoke hearts and add it to the pan on the grill. Add about half a jar of artichoke hearts to the pan and start frying them. Remove the seeds from the preserved lemons and finely slice them. Sprinkle the sliced preserved lemons into the pan with the artichokes. Add the halved cherry tomatoes to the pan with the artichokes and preserved lemons. Pick off the mint leaves from the mint bunch and add them to the pan with the vegetables, letting them wilt down.

Step 5: Slice Steak and Finish Couscous

Remove the mint stalks from the plumped couscous. Fluff up the couscous with a fork until it is light and fresh. Cut off any tough fat or sinew from the rested steak. Slice the steak against the grain into thin pieces. Pour any remaining resting juices and almonds from the plate over the sliced steak.

Step 6: Plate and Serve

Spoon the fluffy couscous onto a serving plate. Spoon the cooked vegetables (artichokes, tomatoes, preserved lemons, mint) over the couscous. Arrange the sliced steak on top of the vegetables. Add more vegetables on top of the steak for extra color and flavor. Serve immediately and enjoy the vibrant and exciting meal.

• Choose one really thick steak for two people; it will taste better and be more tender.

• When grilling, start cooking the steak on the fat side for about 3 minutes to render the fat.

• Using pans on a barbecue allows for versatile cooking, including frying, dressing, steaming, or boiling.

• Don't underestimate preserved lemons; despite their small size, they offer an incredible, intense flavor.

• The steak can also be cooked in a pan on the stovetop instead of a barbecue.