Chimichurri

Method

1. mix10 min
   room temperature, standing
   minced garlic + dried oregano + red pepper flakes + salt + red wine vinegar + warm water, and leave it alone — the salt and acid blunt the raw garlic's sulfur burn and the dried oregano rehydrates, which it will not do once oil coats it
2. chop6 min
   sharp knife, dry board
   parsley leaves, stems discarded, cut rather than crushed — a dull knife or a food processor ruptures the cells and bleeds out the chlorophyll and bitter compounds, which is why blitzed chimichurri turns army-green and tastes harsh
3. fold2 min
   by hand, no whisking
   chopped parsley + black pepper into the vinegar base, then + olive oil poured in and stirred just enough to combine — chimichurri is a suspension, not an emulsion, and it should separate into an oil layer over green solids in the bowl
4. rest30 min
   covered, room temperature
   the sauce, so the oil takes up the garlic and oregano aromatics; serve within a day, because the parsley darkens and the garlic keeps getting louder in the acid