Cilantro Lime Linguine with Tequila Shrimp Sauce

While in Seattle over Labor Day I came across a homemade pasta stand in Pikes Market.  Pappardelle's Pasta sells over a 100 flavors of dried pasta and fresh sauces and pestos.  I thought that it was just a local company but apparently they sell at farmers markets all over the United States as well as sell their pasta online.  For those of you here in Chicago, Pappardelle's has a stand at the French Market. Definitely check out their website, if nothing else they have great recipes that you could easily use with your own store bought pastas.  I bought a cilantro lime linguine and found a tequila lime sauce recipe online that ended up complimenting it perfectly.

Cilantro Lime Linguine with Tequila Shrimp Sauce
 ** adapted from Philis Carey's recipe in Fast & Fabulous Chicken Breasts
Serves 4

For the pasta: 
1 Ib shrimp
8 oz. dried pasta- we used cilantro lime linguine but you could use any variety

For the sauce: 
1 T. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 c. chicken broth
14 1/2 oz. canned tomatoes, diced, undrained
3/4 c. tequila
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground corinader
1 T. chili powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
6 T. fresh lime juice (I forgot the step, oops!  We ended up just squeezing large lime wedges over our bowls and luckily it still tasted great)

For garnish: 
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 c. queso fresco, crumbled

Peel shrimp and set aside.  Add oil to a pan and saute onions.  Cook them for about 5 minutes or until they're nearly tender. Add the minced garlic and stir briefly (about a minute). Then add chicken broth, tomatoes, tequila, chili powder, cumin, coriander and cayenne. Bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until sauce has just begun to thicken slightly, no more than 15 minutes. (You actually want ample soupy-sauce as the pasta absorbs some of it.)

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta till al dente, about 6-8 minutes. Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.

Add the shrimp to the tequila sauce and cook till no longer translucent, about 3 minutes.  Stir the lime juice into the sauce.  If sauce seems too thick add some of the reserved pasta water until desired consistency is reached.  Toss pasta with sauce and serve garnished with chopped cilantro and cheese.

** Excuse my sloppy photo, I only took one picture because we were both starving!