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longer than the fish and a little more than twice as wide. Place each fish at one edge of a rectangle. Cut the zested lemon in half and squeeze the juice into a cup. Mix in 2 tablespoons olive oil, the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, the ground pepper, and nutmeg, and then drizzle the mixture all over the inside and outside of the fish. Stuff each fish with the rice pilaf, and then fold over the vine leaves, patting them smooth. Coat all over with the remaining olive oil.

Brush the grill grate and coat with oil. Put the fish on the grill away from the heat, cover, and cook until the fish looks opaque on the surface, but is still filmy and moist in the center (about 125°F on an instant-read thermometer), 8 to 10 minutes per side. Remove to a platter with a large spatula and let rest for 5 minutes. Slit open the vine leaves and serve with the lemon wedges.

KNOW-HOW: REMOVING THE CENTRAL SKELETON FROM WHOLE FISH

Lay the fish on its side on a cutting board with its back facing you. Insert the knife just above the central back ridge (skeleton) of the fish. Using short strokes, work your knife along the bones, lifting flesh from bone down the length of the backbone from head to tail. Keep the knife against bone at all times. When the entire backbone and rib bones are exposed on one side, lay the flat side of the knife against the backbone, near the tail. Hold the head of the fish steady and cut through the skin toward the tail, but stop before cutting all the way through the tail (leave the tail attached). One side of the skeleton will now be separated from the flesh from head to tail. Flip the fish over and fillet the other side in the same way. Using scissors, cut the backbone where it connects to the head and again where it connects to the tail. Remove the skeleton. Use the tip of your knife to remove any small bones along the inner belly.

LEAN, FIRM WHITE FISH FILLETS

Almond-Crusted Monkfish with Anchovy Sauce

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Monkfish is often compared to lobster, but we don’t taste the similarity. At best, monkfish picks up some briny flavor from its steady diet of shellfish. The one thing monkfish and lobster do have in common is looks: they’re both hideous. Lobster would actually win this beauty contest because monkfish is positively revolting. This fish is all mouth, with a monstrously large but nearly flat, spiny head, dozens of widely spaced pinlike teeth, and one or two lanky antennae sprouting haphazardly from its upper lip, complete with a fleshy lure at the end of each one, which it uses to entice eels, cod, flounder, haddock, crabs, ducks, and other hapless prey before it ensnares them in its leviathan maw on the ocean floor. Not exactly the kind of girl you want to take home to dinner. Which is why monkfish are rarely sold with the head intact. All of the meat is in the tail anyway. And, truth be told, the meat is deliciously firm, sweet, and succulent. You can’t judge a fish by its kisser. Marinated in buttermilk, grilled with a crust of toasted almonds, and laced with a simple sauce of oil, lemon, anchovy, and fresh oregano, this fish goes from beast to beauty.

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds monkfish fillets, or 2¼ pounds monkfish tail, filleted, cleaned, and trimmed (see Know-How, below)

2 cups Buttermilk Marinade

¾ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup almonds

½ cup plain dry breadcrumbs

½ cup olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

6 canned anchovy fillets

2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves

Cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:

Put the monkfish fillets in a wide, shallow dish and pour on the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.

Light a grill for direct medium-high heat, about 400°F.

Mix the flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish and set aside. Put the almonds and breadcrumbs in a food processor and process until finely ground. Pour into another shallow dish.

Remove a fillet from the marinade and dredge in the flour, shaking off the excess. Dip in the marinade again, then dredge in the almond mixture. Set on a rack and repeat with the remaining fillets.