Oxtail and Lima Bean Stew

[JOH]

Stews are very common in Jamaican cuisine. This is a legacy from the African slaves brought to the island during the slave trade that began in the 1600s. They put to use their skill of foraging for local ingredients and boiling them up into hearty one-pot meals.
Makes: 4 to 5 servings
Preparation & Cooking Time: 2 to 3 hours

Ingredients:

* 3� pounds / 1.75 kg oxtail, cut at the joint by your butcher
* 2 large onions, chopped (about 3 cups / 750 mL)
* 6 cloves garlic, chopped (about 3 tablespoons / 45 mL)
* 2 tablespoons / 25 mL soy sauce
* 1 teaspoon / 5 mL salt
* 1 large tomato, diced (about 2 cups / 500 mL)
* 1 (16-ounce / 454-g) can lima beans, drained and rinsed
* 2 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon / 5 mL dried thyme)
* 2 tablespoons / 25 mL butter
* 1 teaspoon / 5 mL black pepper

Method:
Wash the oxtail in cold water. In a stockpot, combine the oxtail, half of the onions, the garlic, soy sauce, and salt. Add enough water to come halfway up the oxtail. Bring to a rolling boil, occasionally skimming the scum as it forms, usually in the first 10 minutes of boiling. Reduce the heat and simmer until the oxtail is tender, about 1� hours.

Once the oxtail is tender, there should be about 2 cups / 500 mL of liquid in the stockpot. If the liquid level is low, add enough to make 2 cups / 500 mL. Add the remaining onion, tomato, lima beans, thyme, butter, and black pepper. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the lima beans are hot but not mushy. Remove the thyme sprigs before serving.

Serve hot with white rice and boiled green bananas.