First, prepare all your ingredients: cut the beef into 1.5-inch chunks, dice the sweet onions, mince the garlic, cut carrots into 1-inch pieces, halve the mushrooms, and chunk the potatoes. This upfront preparation makes cooking much smoother. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, sear the beef stew meat until well-browned on all sides, then remove the seared beef and set it aside in a bowl.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced sweet onions and carrots to the pot juices and sauté for 7 to 8 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the minced garlic and sauté for another minute until fragrant. This step is crucial for developing a deep flavor foundation for your stew; I always take my time here to ensure the vegetables are properly softened and aromatic.

Add the tomato paste to the pot with the aromatics and cook, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes until it darkens slightly, which intensifies its flavor. Deglaze the pot with red wine, scraping any remaining browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the vegetable stock (or beef broth), low sodium Worcestershire sauce, Herbs de Provence, bay leaves, the reserved seared beef, potatoes, and mushrooms. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover the pot, and cook for at least 1 hour, or until the beef is tender.

Once the beef is fork-tender, remove the bay leaves from the stew. Stir in the frozen peas and chopped fresh parsley. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the peas are heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary; I often find a small pinch of salt enhances all the flavors without making it high sodium. Ladle the hearty stew into bowls and serve immediately.