In a small bowl, combine the thyme, rosemary, sage, cloves, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, toss the beef with the flour, coating the pieces evenly and shaking off the excess.

In a large pot or dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef in a single layer and brown on all sides. You just want to develop a nice deep brown crust on the outsides, not cook the beef through. This whole process should only take about 4-5 minutes. Remove the beef to a plate and set aside.

Return the pot to the burner and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil along with onion and cook, stirring frequently, just until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds.

Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping to loosen the crispy bits that have formed on the bottom of the pot.

Add your spice mixture and bay leaves and stir to combine.

Return your meat to the pot, along with any juices that may have collected on the plate. Add the beef broth, cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and let the stew simmer for 1 ½ hours.

Add your carrots, celery, green beans, and potatoes. Cover the pot again and let the vegetables simmer for 30 minutes, just so they can soften and absorb some of that lovely flavor.

Before you're ready to serve the stew, stir in the dissolved cornstarch mixture and let the pot simmer for about 2 minutes. You should notice that it has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. If it hasn't thickened enough, add more cornstarch- by dissolving more cornstarch in a small bowl with water (roughly 1 part cornstarch to 2 parts cold water) and then stirring it into the pot. You never want to just toss cornstarch into a hot dish; it will clump.

Taste the stew. Here is where you need to adjust the seasonings. Most likely, if something is off a bit, it's the salt. Be generous and add a few hefty pinches, along with more cracked black pepper.