Sara mouton blackened fish

2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons Creole Spice mix, recipe follows
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tp 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
Lemon wedges, for garnish
Tartar Sauce, recipe follows

Cut down the seam of the fish to separate the thin and the thicker halves of the fillet. If you have time, freeze the thicker halves for 30 minutes. Cut the thicker halves in half horizontally to form 2 thin pieces.

Place the fish in a large shallow bowl and pour the milk over it. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Mix the flour, spice mix, and salt in a pie plate lined with a piece of parchment paper. Working in batches, remove the fillets from the milk and drain off the excess. Transfer to the flour mixture and, pulling up the sides of the parchment, turn to coat on both sides. Flour only as many fillets as will fit in a large skillet at one time.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add the fillets and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a heatproof plate and keep in the oven while you cook the remaining fillets. Repeat the procedure with the remaining fillets, flour mix, and oil. Serve with lemon wedges.

Creole Spice Mix:
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon hot paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container.
Yield: about 1/2 cup