To all you great cooks out there....?

A basic beef stew recipe requires a couple of pounds of beef (try chuck or rump in the UK) cut into 2 inch chunks (Size is important). Sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Brown the beef on all sides in a little veg oil. Do not overcrowd the pan or the meat will not brown. (also important for flavor) As the meat chunks brown place in an oven proof cerole. In between batches when the bottom of the pan looks brown add some red wine or beer or beef stock to the empty, hot pan. Bring to the boil, sc up the browned bits and add the lot to the cerole. Cook one onion finely chopped in some oil until soft (or in the microwave covered with cling film for 3 minutes) If you like add a crushed clove of garlic. Place in the cerole. Make sure you have enough liquid to come up to the top edge of the meat. Add 1 bay leaf and a couple of sprigs of thyme or rosemary. Place in a 300'F/150'C/gas mark 2 oven for 1 1/2 2 hours or until the meat is tender. Do not boil the meat. If the sauce needs thicken at the end, remove the meat and keep warm. Boil the sauce to a good flavour then whisk in a paste of soft er and flour until it coats the back of your spoon. Pour over the meat.