Before there was such a thing as refrigeration, "in saor" (or the technique of marinating fried food in vinegar) was a favorite method of conservation for Venetian fishermen. And while fish are the most popular ingredient in saor, the Venetian countryside was known for using this method with chicken or vegetables such as eggplant. Sardines in saor, recipe from "Molto Gusto" (Ecco 2010), is my ultimate winter antipasti with the sweetness of raisins, the sourness of champagne vinegar and the nutty creaminess of toasted pine nuts all balanced into one plate of taste bud perfection.

Pine nuts are the seeds from the pinecones of a stone pine, Pinus pinea. The best are the longer oval-shaped ones from the Mediterranean; try to get these rather than the more triangular-shaped variety from Asia. Because of their high oil content, pine nuts can turn rancid quickly. Store them in the freezer, and always taste one before adding the nuts to a dish.

There are now dozens of brands of salt in the market. At OTTO, we use Maldon sea salt in most dishes. Harvested along England's Atlantic coast, Maldon sea salt is a high-quality flaky sea salt with a delicate, briny taste. Look for it in gourmet markets and some supermarkets.

I also like sea salt, both fine and coarse, from Sicily. I use the coarse salt, with its large, chunky grains for finishing meat and fish, as well as for sprinkling on focaccia and other flatbreads.

When serving wine with this dish, you want a bottle that can counterbalance the intense flavor of sardines. My friend and wine expert, Dan Amatuzzi, of Eataly NYC, suggested a pairing right away when I was grocery shopping to make this dish. He selected a Verdicchio from the Le Marche region of Italy, with sweet pear notes, to drink with my classic Venetian dish of quickly fried fish marinated in champagne vinegar.

SARDINES IN SAOR

Serves 6

1 medium fennel bulb

1 pound fresh sardines

Maldon or other flaky sea salt

...continued