Oxtail Stew with Lima Beans

I'll admit that the name of this recipe did not draw me in, but it packs a full and rich flavor that was a nice change of pace from the more traditional roasted goose we'd had the night before. The original calls for oxtail, but I had regular beef stew meat in the fridge, so I used that instead. If you have fermented black beans on hand instead of black bean sauce, just rinse and mash them before adding them to the sauce.

Two years ago: Sunchoke Gratin
Four years ago: Pork Strips

Oxtail Stew with Lima Beans (from Smoke & Pickles)
Ingredients
3 lbs oxtails, fat trimmed and cut into 2" segments and sprinkled with 1 1/2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp corn oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
10 ounces carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tbsp minced ginger
1 habanero pepper, finely chopped
3 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
8 ounces (3/4 cup) black bean paste
1 cup dry sherry
2 whole star anise
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 cups chicken stock
1 tsp ground allspice
1 cup fresh or frozen lima beans (dried will also work if they're soaked, peeled, and put in at the beginning)

1. Heat corn oil in large heavy pot over high heat. Working in batches, brown oxtail on all sides, 5 minutes. Transfer to large plate.
2. Pour out fat and wipe pot clean. Melt butter over medium heat.
3. Add onion, carrots, green peppers, garlic, ginger, and habanero. Saute for 4 minutes or until vegetables soften.
4. Add browned meat, tomatoes, black bean paste, sherry, star anise, sugar, pepper, stock, and allspice. Bring to simmer and skim off any foam. Simmer for 3 hours, adding water if liquid reduces too much.
5. Remove oxtail pieces and transfer to platter to keep warm.
6. Add lima beans and simmer for 20 minutes or until sauce thickens to consistency of a light gravy.
7. Pour gravy over oxtail and serve.