Clean a Fish:

The true test of any outdoorsman or woman is guts-more precisely, fish guts. For although one must never discount visceral abilities like courage, in the Great Outdoors one is measured just as seriously by his or her ability to eviscerate. Cleaning fish has an unwarranted reputation for being a difficult endeavor and a somewhat warranted reputation for being a messy one. However, we find that being armed with a thimbleful of know-how, a sharp knife, and a clean apron swiftly resolves both concerns.

1. Rinse the fish with fresh, clean water to rid it of any gritty silt or blood.

2. Use the dull back of a knife blade or the handle of a spoon to remove the scales: in short, quick strokes, run the knife from tail to the head, taking care not to pass over the areas around the fins. The scales should hail down upon one's work area like rain in Spain falling mainly on the plains. (If no scales fall, the fish is of a breed that does not need scaling. Proceed to step 3.) Continue until the fish has the silken texture of a clean-shaven cheek.

3. Hold the fish with the backside in one's palm and the pale belly facing upward. Locate the vent, a small hole close to the tail. Slip the tip of one's knife into this hole and slit the fish cleanly up to the gills, located just behind the jaw. Cut shallowly, to avoid puncturing the entrails. The cavity of the fish should now gape open.

4. Plunge one's fingers into the opening and remove the innards, snipping them close to the fish's head. Carefully scrape out the dark red kidney line hugging the length of the spine.

5. Carefully slice or snip off the sharp fins, head, and tail, if one wishes. Rinse the fish once more with cold water, inside and out. Dry well before cooking.

6. While the rice cooks, place a skillet upon the grill grate and get it very, very hot. Season the fish fillets all over with salt. Add the fillets, skin side down, to the pan and cook until the flesh is just opaque and flakes easily with a fork, 7 to 8 minutes per side.

7. To serve, fluff the pilaf with a fork and stir in the chopped grilled fennel, orange segments, and almonds. Arrange the fish prettily on top and scatter with chopped fennel fronds.