Name: Savoro
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 kg small whole fish such as bogue, red mullet or small sea bream, cleaned; Plain flour, for dusting; 100 ml extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed for frying; 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 2 sprigs fresh rosemary; 2 bay leaves; 120 ml white wine vinegar; 80 g black currants or raisins; Freshly ground black pepper; Salt

About Savoro

Savoro is an old Corfiot way of preserving fried fish beneath a sweet-sharp marinade of vinegar, garlic, rosemary and raisins or currants. The method predates refrigeration and is a fine example of the Venetian influence that runs through the island's cooking.

Ingredients

1 kg small whole fish such as bogue, red mullet or small sea bream, cleaned
Plain flour, for dusting
100 ml extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed for frying
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
120 ml white wine vinegar
80 g black currants or raisins
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt

Method

Pat the fish dry, season with salt and dust lightly with flour, shaking off the excess.
Heat the olive oil and fry the fish in batches until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a shallow glass or ceramic dish.
If the oil contains burnt flour, strain it or wipe the pan and add a little fresh olive oil.
Gently cook the garlic, rosemary and bay leaves without burning the garlic.
Add the currants or raisins, then carefully pour in the vinegar. Season with black pepper and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Pour the hot marinade over the fried fish so it is well coated.
Allow to cool, cover and rest for several hours, ideally overnight, before serving at room temperature.

Plan your visit

Recipe tips

Small firm fish work especially well because they absorb the marinade while retaining texture.
Resting is part of the recipe: savoro traditionally improves after the flavours have had time to penetrate the fish.
Do not brown the garlic heavily or it will make the marinade bitter.

What to serve with it

Serve at room temperature with crusty bread, bitter greens or a simple salad. It works particularly well as a meze.

The story behind the dish

Savoro was a practical preservation method for fishermen and households before refrigeration. Fried fish was protected by acidic vinegar and aromatic herbs, allowing it to keep longer. Corfu's version commonly combines rosemary, garlic, vinegar and raisins or currants, creating a distinctive sweet-sour character.

Where to try it in Corfu

Savoro is less common than pastitsada or sofrito, making a restaurant serving it particularly interesting. Panorama Restaurant in Afionas currently serves sea bass Savoro based on an old Corfiot recipe, with garlic, rosemary and raisins. Brisk Restaurant in Corfu Town offers a contemporary fish-of-the-day dish with savoro sauce, raisins and dill oil.

Savoro