Categories: Beef, Apples, Stews 
      Yield: 6 servings 
  
  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    Slice of 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.