Cindy's Shrimp and Crab Croquettes

Ingredients

• 0.5 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 1 tablespoon pepper black
• 4 tablespoons butter 
• 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper 
• 8 ounces crab meat 
• 4 servings saltine cracker crumbs white
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard (recommended: Grey Poupon)
• 1 tablespoon thyme leaves dried
• 4  egg yolks 
• 4  eggs lightly beaten
• 1.5 cups olive oil extra virgin 
• 0.5 cup flour all-purpose
• 10 cloves garlic 
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder 
• 1 cup green onions finely chopped
• 0.5 cup jalapeños seeded finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons juice of lemon fresh
• 4 tablespoons juice of lemon fresh
• 1 tablespoon onion powder 
• 1 tablespoon oregano dried
• 2.5 tablespoons paprika 
• 4 servings vegetable oil; peanut oil preferred for frying
• 1 cup rice long-grain (recommended: Zatarain's)
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 2 tablespoons salt 
• 1 pound shrimp fresh deveined peeled finely chopped
• 2 cups water 

Equipment

• food processor
• frying pan
• paper towels
• sauce pan
• pot
• kitchen thermometer
• ice cream scoop

Directions

1. Bring 2 cups salted water to a boil in a medium pot.
2. Add the rice, reduce heat to medium-low and cook until done, about 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Remove pot from the heat and add the butter to the warm rice and stir to incorporate. Next, add the shrimp, crab, onions, jalapenos, lemon juice, salt, pepper and Essence and stir to combine. Stir in flour and eggs. Be careful not to break up the crabmeat when mixing the ingredients.
4. Transfer the mixture to a storage container and refrigerate for 2 hours.
5. In a large heavy-bottomed sauce pan, pour enough oil to fill the pan about a 1/3 of the way.
6. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 360 degrees F. (If you don't have a thermometer, a cube of bread will brown in about 3 minutes.)
7. Remove the croquette mixture from refrigerator and shape into 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thick patties and coat with white cracker crumbs. Use an ice cream scoop to keep portion sizes the same.
8. Fry the croquettes until golden brown on both sides.
9. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.
10. Serve with Garlic Aioli.
11. Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
12. Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking," by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch Published by William Morrow, 199
13. Combine the egg yolks, mustard and garlic cloves in a food processor. While processing, add 1 cup of the olive oil in a fine stream to make an emulsion.
14. Add lemon juice, salt, black pepper and cayenne, and then the remaining oil. Process until thick and smooth.