Garlic Beef Stew

A simple rustic beef stew; serve it with some slices of crusty bread.  This is a variation on the a recipe from The Foods & Wines of Spain by Penelope Casas; an amazing cookbook that I highly recommend.  It's full recipes that work wonders with only a handful of ingredients.

2 lbs beef (top round, chuck, something tough and cheap)
1 large onion, chopped
1 bulb of garlic, separated, peeled
1 C dry white wine
1/4 t thyme
1 bay leaf
1 T chopped Italian parsley
2 cloves
Salt and pepper to taste
Chicken stock to cover beef (~ a cup, depending on pan size)
wondra flour
2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)

Heat the oil and sear the beef on all sides; remove the beef and allow to rest. Add onion and garlic and saute till translucent. Cube the beef, then add it and everything except the wondra flour and the minced garlic to the pot.  Cover and simmer until the beef is tender, ~2 hours.

For an extra hit of garlic add in the minced garlic, then start stirring in the wondra flour until you hit the consistency you want.