Authentic Hungarian Goulash - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided (the original calls for butter and bacon fat in twice the quantity. I don't believe the flavor suffer)
6 cups sliced onions (don't let the large quantity deter you, it mellows)
2 1/2 cups water, divided
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1 1/2 lbs beef stew meat, cubed
1/2 cup white wine
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika (no substitutions)
salt and pepper
1/2 cup sour cream (Try adding a bit to a spoonful of finished sauce and see what you think. You may want to serve it in) (optional)

Preparation

Saute the onions in a dutch oven with 2 T olive oil over medium-low heat until they are golden and carmelized, about 45 minutes.
Put the onions in a bowl and add 1/2 cup of water to the pot, scrape up all the brown bits and then pour it into the bowl of onions.
In a plastic bag shake the flour, thyme, marjoram and beef until coated.
Brown beef in the dutch oven with 1 T olive oil and save the extra flour mixture.
Add the onions, 2 cups of water, wine, bay leaf and paprika.
Cover, simmer and stir occasionally for 3 hours or until tender.
Put 2 cups of sauce in a saucepan, pour a little warm water into the reserved flour mixture until it is the consistency of cream, add it to the saucepan and cook, stirring, until thickened.
Pour contents of saucepan into dutch oven and cook another 5 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper and serve over noodles.
If using sour cream add it just before serving.