This typical Venetian Sabbath dish for marinated fish resembles a Spanish "escabèche," or as it’s called in Italian, a "scapece." The wealthy Jews used sole, while the poorer ones relied on sardines. "Saor" is dialect for "sapore," or "flavor." The fish is cooked ahead of time and allowed to marinate and mellow for a day or two in a cool place. Given the American fear of food sitting out of the refrigerator for more than a few minutes, and the American absence of "cool places," it’s likely that you’ll put this in the refrigerator. No crime, but remember to bring the dish to room temperature at serving time. As it is difficult to find fresh sardines at most fish markets, you’ll probably use fillets of sole. Incidentally, this technique for cooking and marinating fish is also used for vegetables such as eggplants and peppers.
