Vincent Torres bought a package of quarter-pounder Topps beef burgers and broiled three of them that night—he had a healthy appetite. But it's going to be a long time before he'll eat another burger after becoming violently ill from E coli, just one week before reading about the Topps beef recall

Something's amiss on washingtonpost.com these days, and its happening within the blogging section. Today, Washington Redskins reporter Jason La Canfora aired out what seemed to be some grievances with Post blogger Dan Steinberg. The seasoning to this beef? A post Steinberg previously did on maligned Redskins receiver Brandon Lloyd

Broiled meat is cooked very close to the heating element. Because it uses such high, direct heat, broiled food gains a pleasantly brown exterior, and it usually takes just a few minutes to prepare. Broiling is generally used for tender steaks and chops that can be cooked quickly. Sliced ham, bacon, fish and baby beef liver also broil well.

Opt for grilled, broiled or steamed entre'es over fried. Chicken, turkey and fish are leaner than ground beef. Say no to special sauces, cheese, mayonnaise and bacon; they'll pack on the calories, fat and cholesterol.

It is in main dishes that the full variety, aroma and color of Filipino cooking really excel and are fully displayed. Main dishes usually have chicken, pork, beef, fish or seafoods as basic ingredients. They come boiled, broiled, fried, or sautéed, usually prepared in concoctions and mixtures rather than as basic one-element fares.

The flank steak is a beef steak cut from the belly muscles of the cow. Long and flat, the flank steak's best known application is London Broil — a misnomer, as the dish did not originate in London. The popularity of London Broil has driven up the price of flank steak over the past few decades, but it is still one of the most affordable steaks on the market. It is substantially tougher than the loin and rib steaks, therefore many flank recipes use marinades or moist cooking methods such as braising.The French are quite partial to this cut, known as "Bavette". It is quickly seared in a hot pan and eaten rare to maintain its tenderness. Strips of flank steak, known as arrachera, are very popular in Mexican cuisine and may be used to fill tacos, or served in large pieces as a main course. Flank steak used in Mexican cuisine may be tenderized by a marinade, or by mechanical tenderizing, using a machine similar to that used to produce cube steaks.Flank steak is best when it has a bright, red color. Because it comes from a strong, well-exercised part of the cow, it is best prepared when cut across the grain. Additional tenderness can be added by marinating the meat in a tenderizing liquid, including acids like tomato-based products, lemon juice, wine, vinegar, pineapple or ginger.Because the marinades in Asian cuisine tend to be tenderizing, flank steak is frequently used in this cuisine.In Chinese markets, the flank steak is often sold as "stir-fry beef" because it is how it is usually prepared. Most stir-fried beef dishes in Cantonese restaurants are prepared with this cut of beef.