VENETIAN-STYLE SARDINES WITH ONIONS AND RAISINS
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- ¼ cup (35 g) flour
- ¾ teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for seasoning the flour
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound (450 g) cleaned fresh sardines (see Note)
- 1 pound (450 g) red or white onions, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon turbinado or granulated sugar Big pinch of red pepper flakes
- â…“ cup (40 g) pine nuts
- ½ cup (125 ml) white wine vinegar
- ½ cup (125 ml) white wine vinegar
- â…“ cup (80 ml) dry white wine
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ cup (35 g) golden raisins
Instructions:
This idea for pickling fish in a sweet-and-sour brine goes back to the time when fish needed to be preserved, so they were pickled lightly in vinegar and sugar, which are both preservatives—not to be confused with préservatifs. So choose your word carefully: You’ll get you some funny looks if you tell your French fish merchant that you’re going to store your fish in préservatifs, which in French are condoms.
- Pour vegetable oil in a large heavy-duty skillet (not nonstick) to a depth of about ¼ inch (1 cm) and heat until shimmering hot.
- While the oil is heating, put the flour in a shallow pie plate or similar dish and season with salt and pepper. Dredge both sides of each sardine in the flour and shake off any excess.
-  Fry the sardines, as many as will fit in the pan in a single layer, starting flesh side down. Cook for about a minute on each side, until lightly browned. Remove each one as soon as it’s done with a slotted spoon and drain in a single layer on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining sardines.
-  Once all the sardines are cooked, pour off any excess oil, reduce the heat to very low, and add the onions, olive oil, salt, sugar, and red pepper to the pan.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are wilted and meltingly soft, 20 to 30 minutes.
-  While the onions are cooking, toast the pine nuts in a 325°F (160°C) oven for about 6 minutes, checking and stirring them frequently so they don’t burn.
- When the onions are cooked, stir in the vinegar, wine, bay leaves, raisins, and pine nuts. Remove from heat and let cool.
-  In a deep nonreactive bowl or baking dish just large enough to hold the fish snugly, alternately layer the sardines and onions, making sure to end with a solid layer of onions on top. Pour the marinade over the fish, then cover and refrigerate.
- SERVING: I serve the sardines with a basket of sturdy bread, like pain au levain (sourdough) or a hearty rye, along with a mound of good butter. I like to butter a slice of bread, then drape a sardine across the top. Make sure there’s a little dish of coarse sea salt, or fleur de sel, handy to sprinkle on top. This makes a great do-ahead meal, served with a big leafy salad.