Ras El Hanout Steak

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 450°F. Fill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Roughly chop the prunes; place in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of hot water. Set aside to rehydrate at least 10 minutes. Medium dice the potatoes. Peel 2 cloves of garlic; roughly chop. Pit and roughly chop the olives. Quarter the zucchini lengthwise; cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Cut off the stem of the poblano pepper. Halve the pepper lengthwise; remove the ribs and seeds, then medium dice. Cut off and discard the stems of the shishito peppers; halve crosswise. Wash your hands, knife, and cutting board immediately after handling the peppers.

Add the saffron and diced potatoes to the pot of boiling water. Cook 9 to 11 minutes, or until slightly tender. Drain thoroughly.

Meanwhile, place the zucchini pieces, diced poblano pepper, and halved shishito peppers on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Arrange in an even layer. Roast 13 to 15 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Transfer to a large bowl; cover with foil to keep warm. 

Meanwhile, pat the steak dry with paper towels; season with salt, pepper, and enough of the ras el hanout to coat (you may have extra). In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned steak. Cook 3 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, or until cooked to your desired degree of doneness.* Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a cutting board and let rest at least 5 minutes.

* An instant-read thermometer should register 145°F for medium-rare.

While the steaks rest, in the pan of reserved fond, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the partially cooked potatoes in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until crispy. Transfer to the bowl of roasted vegetables; stir to combine.

In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chopped garlic and olives; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until slightly softened. Add the vinegar (carefully, as it may splatter) and rehydrated prunes (including the liquid); season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the liquid is slightly reduced in volume. Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Find the lines of muscle (or grain) on the rested steak; thinly slice crosswise against the grain. Serve the finished vegetables topped with the sliced steak and topping. Enjoy!