"Fried and then pickled sweet and sour fish, typically sardines, are a staple cicchetti served in the bacari of Venice," says Mark Perrier, chef and co-owner of Vancouver's Osteria Savio Volpe.

"In this version, I've substituted fatty wild spring salmon belly for the sardines. The richness of the oily fish, bright acidity of the onions, and sweetness of the raisins work together to pair beautifully with any number of classic Italian aperitivos served at the start of a meal."