------------------------ROMULAN MEAT AND FRUIT STEW------------------------
  1 1/2 tb Cooking oil

  1 1/2 lb Stew beef

      1 c  Apple cider

      1    Onion; cut into chunks

    1/4 c  Raisin; -OR-

      8    -Pitted prunes

      1 cn Mushrooms (4 oz); undrained

     16    Dried apricot halves

      1 ts Salt

    1/8 ts Freshly ground black pepper

      1 sl Lemon

      2 tb Cornstarch

      2 tb Water

  Heat the oil in the pan and brown the beef chunks all over. Add the cider
  and reduce the heat until the contents of the pan are just simmering. Add
  everthing else except the cornstarch and the water. Simmer for about 2
  hours, or until the meat is quite tender. Then mix the cornstarch in the
  water and add it to the meat mixture. Cook for a few more minutes until
  the sauce is thickened. Serve with either hot buttered rice or boiled
  potatoes with parsley and brown butter.