When you’re in the mood for steak, only one thing will truly satisfy you, a large medallion of steak cooked just the way you like. To complete your steak we serve a simple mint and feta couscous with roasted red peppers. We find the saltiness of the cheese contrasts beautifully with the subtle sweetness of the peppers.

This recipe easily serves 2 people. For an extra flourish, if you have them to hand, sprinkle a crushed handful of roasted hazelnuts and pomegranate seeds over the top of everything before serving.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 15 – 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 beef medallion (at least 400g for 2 people)
• 200g couscous
• handful (large) of fresh mint
• 75g feta cheese
• 2 roasted red peppers
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil
• Handful of pomegranate seeds (optional)
• Handful of crushed, roasted hazelnuts (optional)

Recipe:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC. Also, pop a skillet over a medium heat on the oven to warm up. 
2. Rub the beef with olive oil all over and season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. 
3. Transfer the beef medallion to the skillet with tongs, cooking 2 minutes per side and completely seal the meat (including around the sides). 
4. Transfer the beef to a sheet of tinfoil. Wrap loosely cook in the oven for a further 15 – 20 minutes, depending on how well done you like your meat cooked.
5. Meanwhile put the couscous in a bowl, and add just boiled water so that it covers the couscous grains by a further 1.5cm. Add a good seasoning of salt and pepper and the dried thyme then cover with cling film and set aside until all the water has been absorbed. 
6. Finely chop the mint, cut the feta into small pieces and tear the roasted red pepper into pieces. Once the couscous is cooked, which is when all the water is absorbed, fork in the feta and mint (reserving a little to adorn the beef at the end) – the fork is essential here, do not attempt to use another type of utensil otherwise the couscous will clump.
7. Tip the couscous onto a serving plate and adorn with the roasted red pepper.
8. Remove the beef from the oven, leave to rest for a minute or two and slice at an angle – after 15 minutes the meat should still be blushing in the centre.
9. Top the couscous with the slices of beef steak. Sprinkle over the remaining fresh mint and the pomegranate seeds and hazelnuts if using.