Chimichurri Sauce

If, like me, you love fresh herbs, then you'll have to try this chimichurri sauce. The recipe is from the July-August 2010 issue of Cook's Illustrated and even though it's not my creation, I thought it needed to be shared! The magazine pairs the sauce with Argentine grilled steaks, but I've found that it goes well with chicken, as a sauce on pasta, and even as a salad dressing. I hope it doesn't anger any of our South American neighbors that I'm using chimichurri in such a non-traditional way!

Ingredients:
• ¼ cup hot water
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp kosher salt (if using table salt, use 1tsp)
• 1 and 1/3 cups flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 2/3 cup cilantro leaves
• 6 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tbsp)
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes (1 tsp for more heat)
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ½ cup olive oil
Combine the hot water, oregano, and salt in a bowl and let stand 5 minutes to soften the oregano. Pulse the parsley, garlic, cilantro, and red pepper flakes in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Add the water mixture and vinegar, pulsing briefly to combine. Transfer mixture to medium bowl and slowly whisk in oil until incorporated and the sauce is emulsified. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for at least 1 hour. You can prepare this in advance and refrigerate it, but bring it to room temperature before using since the olive oil will harden in the fridge. Like I said, this sauce is delicious on grilled meat or as a simple pasta sauce. Enjoy!