Roasted beet salad with yoghurt and preserved lemon

(serves four)

Ingredients

1kg beetroot
2 tbsp olive oil
1½ tsp cumin seeds
1 small red onion, peeled and very thinly sliced
20g preserved lemon skin, roughly chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
30g dill, roughly shredded
Salt and black pepper
3 tsp tahini paste
200g Greek yoghurt
1 chicory, cut widthways into 0.5cm slices

Method

• Heat the oven to 220C. Wrap the beetroots individually in tin foil, place on a baking tray and roast for 30-60 minutes, depending on size and quality – check that they're done by inserting a knife: it should go in smoothly. When cool enough to handle, peel, cut into 0.5cm-thick slices and transfer to a mixing bowl to cool down.
• Heat the oil in a small frying pan and add the cumin seeds. Cook for three minutes, until they start to pop, then pour the seeds and oil over the beetroot. Add the onion, preserved lemon, lemon juice, half the dill, a teaspoon of salt and a grind of black pepper. Mix well.
• Transfer to a serving bowl. Stir the tahini into the yoghurt and add to the salad, along with the chicory. Give it a minimal stir, so the yoghurt and chicory mix in only slightly and there is still some clear distinction between the red and the white, with some pink ripple. Sprinkle over the remaining dill and serve

Harissa-marinated beef with preserved lemon sauce

(serves four)

Ingredients

1½ tbsp harissa
2 x 300g beef sirloin steaks, trimmed
Salt and black pepper
2 large yellow peppers
2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
400g tin chopped Italian tomatoes
½ tsp flaked chilli
¼ tsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp preserved lemon skin, thinly sliced
2 tbsp chopped parsley, plus extra to garnish

Method

1. Brush the harissa into the meat, season with a quarter-teaspoon of salt and some black pepper, and leave to marinade for at least an hour (or in the fridge overnight).
2. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Cook the peppers under a hot grill for 20-25 minutes, turning twice, until charred all over. Place in a bowl, cover with clingfilm until cool, then peel them and cut into long, thin strips. Discard the skin and seeds.
3. Heat the oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Fry the garlic for 30 seconds on medium heat, add the tomatoes, chilli, paprika, a quarter-teaspoon of salt and some black pepper, bring to a simmer and cook for seven minutes. Add the pepper strips, preserved lemon skin and parsley, and cook for seven minutes, until the sauce thickens but is still easy to pour. Set aside and allow to come to room temperature.
4. Preheat the oven to 190C. Place a ridged griddle pan on a high heat and, when smoking hot, add the steaks and cook for a minute a side. Transfer to a baking tray and cook for eight minutes, until done to medium. Serve warm or at room temperature, sliced into thin strips, with sauce spooned on top and sprinkled with parsley, if you like.