Garlic Lime Shrimp over Rigatoni

I don't cook too much shellfish. My boyfriend's not a huge fan, and it's not difficult to avoid when there are so many other intriguing and exotic recipes out there. But sometimes you just need to cave in and cook elaborate dinners for yourself. Leftovers can be a beautiful thing! (You can also do this with breakfast if you get up too early and want to congratulate yourself for doing so.)

With a little ingredient preparation, this recipe is simple and straightforward.

  

Once I had everything peeled, deveined, and minced, I heated up two tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet (I used my cast-iron.) At the same time, I started the pasta cooking according to package directions.

To the skillet, I added the shrimp, onion, garlic, and red pepper. Then I added the Tony Chachere's seasoning and Worcestershire sauce. I sauteed the mixture for about ten minutes, stirring frequently, until the shrimp were cooked and the onions browned.

After the pasta was done, I strained it and returned it to the same pot, stirring in a tablespoon of butter till it melted.

I tossed the shrimp mixture with freshly squeezed lime juice and chopped cilantro, then ladled it over a bowl of buttery rigatoni. Finally, I sprinkled bread crumbs over the shrimp and stirred it all together. Voila!

Garlic Lime Shrimp over Rigatoni

30-40 shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
One small onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Tony Chachere's seasoning (if you can't get this wonderful Cajun seasoning, substitute a mixture of cayenne, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. But really, you need this seasoning.)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
The juice of one lime
1/4 cup breadcrumbs