Chimichurri Sauce

Chop the garlic very finely. In a medium bowl, stir it with the oregano, chilli flakes, salt, red wine vinegar and the hot water. Leave for 10 minutes. The vinegar softens the sharpness of the garlic and the water rehydrates the oregano.

Pick the parsley leaves from the thickest stalks, keeping any thin tender stems. Dry the leaves thoroughly, because wet parsley dilutes the sauce and dulls its colour. Chop by hand until the pieces are about 2 mm across, small but still distinct. A food processor bruises the leaves and gives a dark, pasty sauce.

Stir the parsley into the vinegar mixture, then stir in the olive oil. The sauce should be loose and spoonable, with the herbs suspended in the oil rather than packed into a paste.

Leave it at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, and ideally 2 hours, so the herbs soften and the flavours settle. Taste, and add a pinch more salt or a splash more vinegar if it needs it.

Spoon over grilled steak, lamb chops, chorizo or roast vegetables, or serve with empanadas and fried eggs. Store in a jar in the fridge for up to 5 days under a thin layer of oil. The oil will cloud and set when cold, so bring it to room temperature before serving. The colour darkens from bright green to olive as it ages, which is normal.