Recipe by Ari Lindgren

Pairing with Navarro 1999 Navarro Brut, Blanc de Blancs

Once you've experienced the combination of crispy fried seafood and a smooth dry bubbly it becomes hard to resist thoughts of making it all the time. Luckily, this dish is memorable and satisfying enough to provide plenty of fond afterthoughts. The silky smooth bubbles wash down the smooth crab and potato concoction with elegance befitting royalty. It is as exhilarating as watching the fluid motion during a christening of a majestically colossal cruise vessel from the crack of the bottle to the smooth movement of the ship backing down the dry dock on its maiden voyage. Bring your confetti!

For the croquettes:
• 3 lbs. medium russet potatoes, peeled
• 3/4 lb. Dungeness crab meat, shelled
• 3 egg whites
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 eggs
• 2 Tbsp milk

For the aioli:
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tsp. bittersweet paprika
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

To assemble the croquettes, start by boiling the peeled potatoes in hot water until done. Strain from the water and let cool slightly. The next step involves using a ricer, which is an important step. If you don't have a ricer, use a gadget like a food mill to break the potato into small aerated pieces. Fold in the crab into riced potatoes. Beat the egg whites into soft peaks and fold those into the mixture as well. Season and set aside.

Begin the breading process by beating the 3 eggs in a shallow glass dish. Place breadcrumbs in a similar dish. Using two soup spoons, measure and form cylinder shapes with the potato crab mixture and dip the cylinders into the egg, followed by the bread crumbs.

Heat oil in a deep pan or a deep fryer to 350 degrees.

Make the aioli while the oil heats up. Always make sure you are keeping an eye on your oil temperature while working on other items. In a blender, combine egg yolks, salt, shallot and paprika. Gradually add 1/2 of the lemon juice, and then drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil until the mixture is smooth, thick and creamy.

Now that the aioli is complete, preheat the oven to 275 degrees and begin cooking the croquettes in 350 degree oil until golden brown. Remove from heat and keep warm in oven until the frying process is complete. Serve on a plate with mixed greens and small ramekin for the aioli.

Serves 6-8.