Asado Negro

Use half a lemon to clean the meat, leaving the fat layer that covers it. Season with the crushed garlic, soy sauce, mustard (to taste) and cumin. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.

When you cook it, do so in hot vegetable oil over high heat and brown it on all sides, until you nearly burn the outside. It is usually prepared in a saucepan, but I made it in a large pot with a lid.

While the meat browns, use a knife (it’s faster) to grate plenty of papelón (sugar cane concentrate).

Once the meat is black, add the grated papelón over medium heat until caramelized and continue turning over very carefully to coat with the caramel.

While the meat caramelizes, mix the following in the blender: onion, red bell pepper, scallions, cilantro, garlic and 1 1/2 cups of water until you have a consistent sauce.

Add that sauce to the meat and let it cook, covered, over medium heat, turning it every half hour and making sure the sauce never dries up.

After about 2 1/2 hours, the meat should be tender. Add the tomato purée almost at the end to give the sauce some consistency. Cover and let it cook over medium heat for another half hour.

Once it’s ready, correct the salt or condiment of your choice. You may serve it whole on the table, garnished with a bunch of cilantro, or sliced (not too thin), coated with its delicious dark sauce and with a side of mashed potatoes, white rice, salad or anything you wish. Stir in the green stuffed olives.