Best Ever Beef Stew - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 lbs round tip roast, cut in 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon Emeril's Original Essence (or any Cajun seasoning)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 white onion, chopped
1/2 lb baby carrots, cut in half
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon dried thyme
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and roughly chopped
8 ounces button mushrooms, washed and quartered
2 cups dry red wine
2 (16 ounce) cans beef broth
1 lb russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup green peas
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon potato starch, for thickening

Preparation

Mix Essence with flour and coat beef cubes with mixture.
Heat oil in heavy-bottomed pot, and brown beef in batches. Brown darkly for a richer looking gravy.
After removing meat, add onions, carrots, salt and pepper to same pot and cook about three minutes or until soft. Add garlic and tomato paste and continue cooking for another 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, tomatoes, bay leaves, and thyme and cook an additional 2 minutes.
Add wine and stir to deglaze pan then add the broth, potatoes and meat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or till the meat is very tender. Add peas and soy sauce during the last five minutes of cooking time. Note: I removed the lid for the last half hour to begin reducing the gravy.
Remove bay leaves. Mix potato starch with 1/4 cup water and stir into stew to thicken. I served this with Cheese Toast and fresh fruit to absolute raves.