Beef Stew...with Coffee

I decided to make a stew last night because I had some meat and veggies that needed to be used. I thought about adding some stout for a flavor kick, but didn't want to add the extra calories to the stew. My friend and chef, James Lockwood, recommended I try adding some coffee. We didn't discuss specific amounts so I used what I had left over from the morning, about 1/2 of a cup. It was brilliant. It gave a really nice brown flavor without the alcohol taste the stout would have produced. I imagine I will never make a beef stew sans coffee again.

INGREDIENTS:
1lb beef stew meat
1 onion chopped
4 cups cut vegetables (celery, carrots, green beans, peas, corn, parsnips, turnips, potatoes, etc.)
2 T olive oil
1/4 c flour
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 clove garlic, chopped

1 bay leaf
1 t dried thyme or rosemary
2 1/2 c beef broth
1/2 c brewed coffee

DIRECTIONS:

Heat olive oil in medium pot or dutch oven on medium heat
Put flour and spices except for bay leaf in a plastic zipper bag and add beef, shake to coat
Place beef in pot and brown on all sides
Reduce heat to low and add onion, cooking till golden
Add water, coffee and bay leaf
Cover and simmer for 2 hours
Remove bay leaf and add all vegetables
Cover and simmer 1 hour longer
Serve with any yummy bread