Beef Stew

Toss beef chuck with salt, black pepper and all purpose flour. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the beef well on all sides in 2 batches. Move to the slow cooker.

Lower the heat, cook onion in the same pan for 4 minutes, add garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute, then pour in red wine and scrape up the browned bits.

Add onion and wine, beef broth, worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaf, carrots, celery and potatoes to browned beef and stir.

Cover and cook loaded stew on LOW for 8 hours (or HIGH for 4 to 5) until the beef is fork-tender.

Remove the bay leaves, stir peas into beef stew and let them heat for 10 minutes. Taste for salt and scatter with parsley.