Spicy Shrimp Pasta with Lemon & Garlic

A little while ago we had bought a big 'ol bag of frozen cooked shrimp from Costco.  Boy 1 (aka el carnivore) adores seafood so we thought we'd whip up a dish using these little crustaceans for him.  It seemed that Boy 1 had his own recipe in mind so he ended up making himself a big Bang Bang Shrimp wrap for his supper.  No boy was ever happier.

Brad and I wanted to make a shrimp pasta dish so I went online and found out that Emeril - King of the Food Network - had a recipe that would suit us well except that his used raw shrimp.  No biggie.  We made some adjustments (which I have outlined in the recipe below) and this turned out to be a fabulous meal!  If you have raw shrimp on hand, no worries, I've added in the extra step you'll take.

Easy to prep and on the table quickly, this meal had the right amount of heat using Emeril's Essence spice mix and I adored the fresh lemon with the shrimp.  This recipe is definitely a keeper!

20-25 (1 1/4 lbs) large COOKED shrimp - peeled, deveined and tails removed
2 tsp Emeril's Essence (recipe to follow)
1lb spaghettini
2 tsp grapeseed or olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp garlic, minced (about 4 large cloves)
1/2 cup dry white wine (optional - I didn't use any)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Optional Garnish - 1/4 cup chopped green onions

Emeril's Essence Creole Seasoning (aka 'Bayou Blast')
2 1/2 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp cayenne pepper (I halved this)
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried thyme

Combine all of the Essence Creole seasonings together and mix well.
In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with the Essence seasoning and set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Once cooked, drain well and drizzle a little oil over it to prevent it from sticking and toss.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, pour oil and 2 tbsp of butter and heat over medium-high heat.  

IF USING UNCOOKED SHRIMP ADD THIS STEP - Add shrimp to the pan, spreading them to form an even layer.  Cook for 2 minutes then flip them.

Add garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds.  Add wine (if using), lemon juice, zest and your seasoned shrimp.  Cook for 1 1/2 minutes more.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the cooked pasta, crushed red pepper flakes and green onions.  Toss to coat well.  Serve immediately.

Tip: I use Emeril's Essence Creole Seasoning on all kinds of meat, including a liberal sprinkle before I sear beef for stew.  Soooo delish!

Inspired by: Emeril's Shrimp and Pasta with Chilis, Garlic, Lemon and Green Onions