Seared Steak & Shrimp

Fill a large pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut off and discard the stems of the peppers; remove the cores. Medium dice. Halve the tomatoes. Quarter and deseed the lemon. Peel and thinly slice the shallot. Roughly chop the pistachios. Pick the oregano leaves off the stems; finely chop the leaves. Roughly chop the parsley leaves and stems.

Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels; remove the tails. Season with salt and pepper. In a large pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned shrimp in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly opaque. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a bowl and cover with foil to keep warm.

Meanwhile, place the pasta in a strainer and thoroughly rinse under cold water to remove any excess starch. Transfer to the pot of boiling water. Cook, uncovered, 7 to 8 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat. Reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, drain thoroughly and return to the pot.

In the pan of reserved fond, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the diced peppers; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the halved tomatoes, spinach, and 2 tablespoons of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter); season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted and the vegetables are softened. Transfer to the pot of cooked pasta. Add the butter, half the reserved pasta cooking water, and as much of the chile paste as you'd like, depending on how spicy you'd like the dish to be. Cook on medium-high, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the pasta is coated (if necessary, gradually add the remaining pasta cooking water to ensure the pasta is thoroughly coated). Turn off the heat. Stir in the cooked shrimp and the juice of 2 lemon wedges. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Cover to keep warm. Wipe out the pan. 

Pat the steaks dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides. In the same pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned steak; cook 5 to 7 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; let rest at least 5 minutes. Find the lines of muscle (or grain) on the rested steaks; thinly slice crosswise against the grain. 

An instant-read thermometer should register 145°F.

While the steaks rest, heat the pan of reserved fond on medium-high until hot (if the pan seems dry, add a drizzle of olive oil). Add the sliced shallot and capers. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the chopped pistachios and oregano. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until combined. Add 1/4 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter); season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping up any fond, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until thoroughly combined. Turn off the heat and stir in the juice of the remaining lemon wedges. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the finished shrimp and pasta garnished with the chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve the sliced steaks topped with the pan sauce. Enjoy!