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1
Combine all the tarragon tartar sauce ingredients into a small bowl. Mix to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper, stir well and taste again. Adjust the seasoning as necessary.
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2
Place the tartar sauce into the fridge to keep it cool.
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3
Season the fish with salt and pepper on both sides. Let it sit out to warm-up to room temp.
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4
To set up your breading station place the breadcrumbs into a small casserole. In another casserole combine the eggs and milk. Whisk them to combine. In yet another small casserole combine the flour with the paprika and garlic powder and mix the flour to distribute the spices.
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5
Place the largest heavy bottomed pan you have over medium heat. (The goal of and success of this dish is to end up with crispy fish. So by no means crowd the fish if you crowd the fish don't blame me for the glop you end up with. If your pan isn't big enough then fry only what fits comfortably in the pan with at least a half inch of space on all sides. When a filet is brown and done remove it to a cooling rack over a sheet tray and keep them warm in a heated 250? F oven while you fry the remaining filets.)
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6
Dredge the filets through the seasoned flour making sure it is coated. Shake off the excess flour back into the casserole. Dip the filets into the egg wash making sure to get egg wash under your fingers where you are holding the filet. Hold the filet above the casserole and let some of the excess drip back. Now set them into the breadcrumbs and make sure all sides are coated. Let them sit in the crumbs until you are ready to fry them.
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7
If the pan has been sitting on the heat forever then cool it down before adding the oil but if it is a heavy bottomed pan the oil should gently shimmer when added, not quake nor smoke, then you can add the butter and watch it foam. Swirl the pan to distribute the butter.
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8
Add the filets, don't crowd them, and brown them on both sides. If for some reason you think, or feel nervous about them browning to fast or not being done in the middle then remove them from the pan and finish them by baking them in a 250? oven.
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9
Serve hot with a dollop of tartar sauce and a wedge of lemon.
