Persian Celery Sauce (Khoreshe Karafs)

An incredible combination of flavors. Inexpensive and simple, but surprisingly yummy. Can be made with meat or vegetarian. Excellent served over rice or with quinoa.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 12 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 27 mins
• Calories: 572 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pound cubed beef stew meat
• ½ cup butter, divided
• ⅔ cup lemon juice
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large white onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 bunch celery, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups water, or more as needed
• 3 cups cooked lima beans
• 1 bulb fennel, coarsely chopped
• 1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

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.

Step 2

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.