On such a gray, rainy day as the one I've had today, the kitchens of Full Moon Cuisine decided it was time to turn up the heat. In order to do so, what better to use than shrimp? I began by slicing several garlic cloves into thin chips, then cooking them in a skillet with extra virgin olive oil, taking them out once they became a deep, golden brown, thus infusing the oil with their flavor (these crispy garlic chips make great finishing touches to a host of recipes!). Then, I put a full pound of peeled, deveined shrimp into the oil, letting them sizzle. Next, time to turn up the volume. A whole, heaping tablespoon of red pepper flake as well as finely chopped rosemary leaves, giving everything a good toss.

After a minute of cooking, I sprinkled in a bit of salt and pepper to draw out the flavors even further. Next, the zest and juice of one lemon, to add brightness to the dish, and a dob of butter for richness. Giving it just a bit more time to marry all the flavors, I plated these spicy shrimp over a bed of angel hair pasta, making sure to pour the wonderful sauce that had developed in the pan, and not to miss a single bit of red pepper flake.

To accompany this meal and mellow out the heat, I made a simple salad of zucchini and asparagus. First, I blanched the asparagus and shocked it in an ice bath in order to preserve the color and crispness. Then, cutting the stalks on a diagonal into bite-sized pieces, I added them to a bowl with shaved zucchini slices. To finish the salad, a simple dressing of extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

If you're a fan of fiery shrimp dishes, this is one you won't want to miss. The kitchen's staying open late tonight, care to place an order?