Oxtail and Butter Beans Stew

Oxtail and Butter Bean Stew - This rich and very complex flavoured stew is just delicious! With the aromas of garlic, onion, allspice, thyme and scotch bonnet it's just fall off the bone tender. I know most people don't like Oxtail as a meat but the flavour is just out of this world... give it a try you will be impressed.

Lets start....

Salt and pepper around 1.5kg of oxtail.

Heat a heavy bottomed pan with 2 tablespoon of oil and brown the pieces of oxtail, you may have to do this in batches.

Add 1 chopped onion and 3 spring onions to the browned oxtail

Add 4 cloves of minced garlic, 5 sprigs of thyme, 6 allspice berries.

Add 1 chopped green pepper and red pepper. Along with a scotch bonnet for heat....fiyah!!

Add Worcestershire sauce, tomato puree, curry powder and smoked paprika

Add 6 cups of water and bring it to a boil. cover and simmer for about 1 hour and 45 minutes. 20 minutes before the end of cooking add the butter beans. Cook until the meat is superbly tender.

Ingredients:

• 1.5kg oxtail cut up into bite-size pieces

• 2 tablespoons of oil

• 1 medium onion

• 3 spring onions

• 4 cloves garlic

• 1 scotch bonnet (only if you love a bit of fruity heat)

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1 tablespoon tomato puree

• 1 teaspoon Caribbean curry powder

• 6 allspice berries

• 5 sprigs of thyme

• 1 can of butter beans drained

• 1 green and red pepper

Salt and pepper the oxtail pieces and set aside. Heat a heavy bottomed pan and brown the oxtail over medium heat, you may need to do this in batches.

Add the chopped onion and spring onion and stir for 2 minutes. Add the 4 cloves of minced garlic, 5 sprigs of thyme and 6 allspice berries.

Add the chopped bell pepper along with a scotch bonnet for heat....fiyah!! If you can't tolerate too much heat leave it whole and the fruity intensity is released rather than the pure heat. I mean you don't have to add scotch bonnet at all if you despise heat but I come from a heat loving household so we generally add more than 1.

Then add a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, tomato puree and a teaspoon pf curry powder and smoked paprika. Cook the puree out for about 1-2 minutes.

Then add about 6 cups of water and bring to a boil and let it simmer until tender (depending on the oxtail size and preference) about 1 hour 45 minutes. give it a stir occasionally.

About 20-30 minutes before you remove from the cooker add butter beans. Voila done.

I served mine with plain white rice, garlic spinach, plantain, and sweet potato fritters.

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