Instructions:
- Pat the beef cubes thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season aggressively with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the beef deeply on all sides. Remove beef with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sauté until the onions are translucent and softened, about 6–8 minutes, scraping up any browned bits (fond) from the bottom.
- Push vegetables to one side. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute until it darkens slightly. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
- Slowly whisk in about 1 cup of beef broth until smooth. Then, add the remaining broth, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, and the bay leaf. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Return the browned beef to the pot. Ensure everything is submerged. Cover partially and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently for 60–75 minutes, or until the beef is fork-tender.
- Stir in the cubed potatoes. Continue to simmer, covered, for another 20–25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Stir in the frozen green beans. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the frozen peas during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
- Remove the bay leaf. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper as needed. Ladle hot into bowls.