Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 8 ounces of linguine noodles. Cook according to package instructions until al dente. Believe me, there's nothing worse than mushy pasta. Drain and reserve a cup of the pasta water in case you need to adjust your sauce later. Set it aside for now.

In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter and add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. When hot, toss in the pound of shrimp, keeping the heat consistent.

Sauté them for about 2-3 minutes until pink and opaque. They’ll curl up a bit, and that’s how you know they’re ready. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside, taking care to leave any juices behind.

In the same skillet, you'll want to add another half tablespoon of butter. Once melted, throw in the finely minced garlic. Sauté for just about 30 seconds until fragrant (don’t let it burn!). Pour in your splash of white wine or chicken broth now.

Scrape up any flavorful bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add in the heavy cream, sea salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and lemon zest. Stir to combine everything well.

Now is the time to sprinkle in half a cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Stir continuously for about a minute, allowing the cheese to melt fully, creating a creamy sauce.

This is it—the moment you’ve been working towards! Toss the cooked linguine in with the creamy sauce, ensuring the noodles are generously coated. If you feel your sauce is too thick, gradually add in some reserved pasta water until you reach your desired consistency.

Finally, fold in the sautéed shrimp. Make sure they’re evenly distributed throughout the pasta. Serve hot, garnished with a sprinkle of freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley for a pop of color.