Carbonnades a la Flamande (beef and Onions Braised in Beer)

Make a herb bouquet by tying in cheesecloth the parsley, bay and thyme. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Pour a layer of oil into a large heavy skillet. Heat oil until almost smoking. Brown the beef cubes, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Set beef aside when browned. Reduce heat to moderate. Stir the onions into the oil in the skillet, adding more oil, if necessary. Cook onions for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Add mashed garlic to cooked onions. Arrange half the browned beef in a casserole which can be placed on both a direct flame and in the oven. Season meat lightly with salt and pepper. Spread half the onions over the beef. Repeat with the remaining half of the beef and top with the remaining half of the onions. Pour any residual oil out of the pan used to brown the meat and onions. Pour the stock into the pan. Heat the stock, scraping up the coagulated meat juices from the browning step. Add the brown sugar and stir to dissolve. Pour stock over the meat and onions in the casserole. Add enough beer so the meat is barely covered. Stick the herb bouquet into the casserole. Bring casserole to a simmer on the top of the stove. Cover the casserole and place in the oven. Cook for 2 1/2 hours. Check the progress of the cooking and, if necessary, adjust the heat so the liquid remains at a very slow simmer. Remove the casserole from the oven and place on the stove top. Remove herb bouquet. Combine the cornstarch and vinegar in saucepan or measuring cup. Remove about 2 ladle-fulls of liquid from the casserole and mix with cornstarch-vinegar mixture, blending well. Pour this back into the beef casserole and stir to combine fully. Allow the casserole to simmer an additional 3-4 minutes on a low heat on top of the stove, or until thickened. Serve with noodles or parsley potatoes.