French Onion Beef Stew – TartAmour

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 4 cups beef broth
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 cup red wine (optional)
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (optional, for thickening)
• 1 tablespoon butter (optional, for thickening)