Oxtail Stew

Crush the garlic. Season the oxtail generously with salt, pepper, half the garlic and a few sprigs of the thyme, then cover and leave it in the fridge for 1 hour or overnight.

Heat the oil in a heavy pot and add the browning sauce.

Scrape the garlic and thyme off the oxtail and keep them. Brown the oxtail in batches until very dark on all sides, lifting each batch onto a plate. This takes longer than you expect and is worth every minute.

Chop the onion and spring onions and soften them with the remaining garlic, then stir in the tomato paste, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce.

Return the oxtail and add the stock with the garlic and thyme you kept. Add the remaining thyme, the allspice berries and the scotch bonnet chilli, whole, and bring to a simmer.

Cover and cook very gently for 2 to 2.5 hours.

Slice the carrots and drain the butter beans, add both and cook for 30 minutes more, until the meat slides off the bone. If serving rice, cook the long-grain rice now, following the packet instructions.

Lift out the chilli before it bursts. Skim the fat, check the seasoning, and serve with the rice, if using.