Red Wine and Tomato Beef Stew

1 pound beef chuck, cubed
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, quartered
8 cloves garlic
2 cups button mushrooms, halved
6 small tomatoes, cored and halved
1 cup red wine
1 cup beef broth
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

1. Dry stewing beef and coat evenly with flour.
2. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and brown beef in batches.
3. Reserve beef in a separate dish and deglaze the pot with red wine.
4. Add onion, garlic, mushrooms, tomatoes and bay leaf and cook until tomatoes start to lose their shape.
5. Return beef to pot with the red wine and reduce heat, simmering until beef is tender, about an hour and a half.
6. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.

Makes 6 servings