Sardines in Saor

This is a classic Italian dish that has its origins in Medieval days. It's well loved in both Venice and Torino, with some regional variations—and of course, personal touches by the cook.

Sardines in Saor is made by dredging the fish in flour, quickly frying them, layering them with spiced sweet and sour onions—often with raisins and pine nuts, and allowing them to marinate for 24 hours before serving. It's served cold, usually as an appetizer.

Once I learned about this dish I was eager to try it. But...fresh sardines were nowhere to be found where I live. Undaunted, I went for the twist—I replaced the sardines with small rainbow trout and served half a fish to each person at the table. It was fabulous. I’ve since made it both ways—with sardines and with trout. They’re no doubt different, but equally enjoyable.

Because the dish is made well in advance and served cold, it's perfect for Shabbat, or for anytime you're making a multi-course dinner.

Ingredients:

• 1⁄2 cup white wine

•  1⁄4 cup raisins

• 1⁄4 cup pine nuts

• 2 lb. sardines, cleaned

• lightly salted all-purpose flour, for dredging

• neutral oil, such as avocado or sunflower, for frying

• good, fruity extra virgin olive oil as needed

• 2 large white onions, thinly sliced

• 1 cup white wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

• 4 bay leaves (fresh, if possible)

• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed with the side of a heavy chef's knife

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method:

• In a small bowl, submerge the raisins in the white wine and let them soak while you continue to prepare the dish.

• Put the pine nuts in a small dry skillet. Over medium heat, agitate the pan back and forth to lightly toast the nuts. This will take about a minute. Don't let them burn or they'll go from fabulous to bitter. As soon as they're done, remove them from the pan so that they stop cooking.

• Butterfly the sardines, removing the heads, the innards, and the bones. Dredge them in lightly salted flour.

• Pour a generous amount of neutral oil to a large skillet. Add a nice glug of extra virgin olive oil for flavor, and heat oil to about 375°. You'll know the oil is ready when little bubbles form around a wooden chopstick stuck into the oil. Add the floured sardines and fry them until browned, then turn them and fry them on the other side. When they're done, set them to drain on paper towels.

• Wipe out the skillet. Pour a glug of olive oil into the skillet and add the onions. Cook them over a low light, stirring often, so that they become very soft and translucent, but don't let them brown.

• To the softened onions, add the vinegar, the sugar, the bay leaves, the cinnamon, the coriander, a sprinkling of kosher salt, and a few grinds of the pepper mill. Cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes.

• Add the raisins and their soaking wine to the pan and cook for another five minutes. Then, remove the bay leaves.

• Place a single layer of sardines in a flat dish. Spoon some of the onion/raisin mixture over them and sprinkle them with some pine nuts. Top with another layer of sardines and another layer of onion/raisins/pine nuts. Keep going until you've used up all the ingredients. Pour any remaining liquid evenly over the top layer.

• Cover the dish tightly and refrigerate for 24 hours. Serve cold, or at room temperature.

Note: If sardines aren't available, you can substitute small rainbow trout (serving 1/2 butterflied fish per diner) or other small, thin-fleshed fish. It will be different, but also delicious.