Persian Celery Sauce (Khoreshe Karafs) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, divided
1 pound cubed beef stew meat
1 large white onion, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 cups water, or more as needed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups cooked lima beans
1 bunch celery, coarsely chopped
1 bulb fennel, coarsely chopped
1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2/3 cup lemon juice

Preparation

Melt 1/4 cup butter in a stockpot over medium heat. Add beef, onion, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and pepper; cook and stir until meat is evenly browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Add water, cover, and cook until meat is tender, about 30 minutes.
Heat olive oil and remaining butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add lima beans, celery, fennel, parsley, and lemon juice; cook and stir until lima beans have softened, about 15 minutes. Stir lima bean mixture into beef mixture; reduce heat to low and cook until thickened, adding water as needed, about 20 minutes.