actually Claire, I'm going to disagree with LindaC. If you simmer it in broth for a while before going further with it, I think it would be fine. I'd simmer it in some beef broth/stock, fresh garlic and a bit of onion, check after 30-40 minutes, and see how it feels in your mouth. If it feels like it's breaking down start going on with the stroganoff, if not give it some more simmer time. I like to make my stroganoff, off the cuff anyway, and actually start it like I do smothered chops. Browned meat, simmered covered in broth for a while, then removed, make a milk gravy then add the chops (meat) back, cover and simmer until I'm done with the sides..sometimes I have 2 hours, so times I have 40 minutes. Either way it works.

I'll buy those when they are on sale. They make decent chili meat! It can also be eaten shredded in tacos, burritos, and bbq sandwiches. Put it raw into a covered pot and cover it with about a quart of tomato juice. Low boil for a couple hours. In time the tomato acid will make the meat fall apart into shredded beef. A little work with a wooden spoon and/or potato masher can make it break down quicker. The meat will soak up most of the tomato juice so you wind up with a pot of very moist shredded beef that is perfectly lean. I hate a bunch of fat and gristle in my bbq sandwich. This also works with pork loin and round roasts. My leftover turkey from T-day got carefully cleaned of bones and put into a pot of meat just like this... made an excellent combo meat. This creates a building block for several dishes. The meat will soak up an amazing amount of tomatoes. If making chili with canned tomatoes I go with a 6 1/2 pound institutional size can so that there is some juice to my chili. Hard spices like black pepper and cumin can be added at the start of the boil... hot peppers to. I hold back my beans and other veggies until after the meat has cooked so I don't boil them into a paste. One of my new favorites is hot spicey shredded beef mixed with partially cooked cabbage and put in a flour tortilla. Little cheese and other taco stuff and it is way good. The cabbage adds its own "heat" to the sandwich. Reheats nice in a microwave for those at-work lunches. Advantage over ground meat is the meat cooks into fibers that hold well in a sandwich. Chili as I make it is often eaten with a fork. Obvious advantage is it lets me use meat bought on sale which was the thing that got me into doing it. I have a round roast in the fridge at the moment bought for 2.50 a pound waiting for the pea soup made with leftover christmas ham to finish cooking. I'll cook it into shredded meat and freeze it for later use. Nice that way because the meat and spices are all cooked and ready to go on another day. I've also been working on a saurbraten type dish and have used "london broil" for the steak. Pan fried on high heat until crispy on the outside and still pink inside. Douse with sweet white basalmic vinegar to cool the pan. Figured this out during one of those brainless moments when I left a pan steak on with the heat all the way up. I checked on it when the pan was just seconds away from burning the meat beyond recognition. Nothing my panicked brain could see to cool it with other then a bottle of vinegar sitting on the counter. The meat was so-so but the sauce it produced was eaten from the pan on bread. One of those moments when you are glad nobody is around to see you eating with your fingers from a pan on the stove. Working to recreate that taste I've made pickled steak a couple times and that is not bad. Good with mashed potatoes as they balance the tangy vinegar flavor... think hasenpheffer. : ) lyra

The only recipe that I use flank steak for is a local favorite in the large Cuban community that we have here in Tampa. There are so many wonderful Cuban recipes that are usually a little different than, say, Miami. We have generations of Italian, Cuban, and Spanish melded here and each has added their influence to the recipes. Ropa Vieja 1 lg. green bell pepper 1 lg. onion, peeled and cut in half 1 bay leaf 10 black peppercorns 6 tbsp. olive oil 2 lg. cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 med. Spanish onion, cut in half and thinly sliced 1 med. green bell pepper, seeded and cut in thin strips 1 med. red bell pepper, seeded and cut in thin strips 1 tsp. oregano 1 tsp. black pepper 1 c. tomato sauce 1/4 c. red wine 1 c. beef broth 2 tsp. salt, or to taste 10 cherry tomatoes cut in half for garnishing 1 bunch fresh Italian parsley for garnishing Place beef in a large kettle with the seeded green pepper, onion, bay leaf, and black peppercorns. Add enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Simmer over medium heat until meat is tender. Remove meat from the kettle and allow to cool. Reserve cooking liquid. Shred the beef into fine strips and set aside. Heat oil in a 12 inch sauteuse or deep skillet. Add garlic and sauté until slightly golden. Add the onion slices, the red and green pepper strips, oregano, and bay leaf, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce, wine, beef stock, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the shredded beef and mix well. Cook for about 5 minutes. Garnish with the cherry tomatoes and with fresh parsley. Serve accompanied by white rice and black beans or any other rice and bean combination

I, too, thought the filets "looked good". The first time I tried it, I simply gave it a very light coating of corn meal, A little seasoning, (Tony Cachere's) (not sure of spelling there) and quickly fried to the golden brown I love. It was fairly good, not great by any means, but 'passable'. Second time, filets from same package, same method, turned out pretty 'blah'. So third time, (last of same package) I dipped in melted butter, seasoned with some lemon pepper, And grilled. Still pretty 'blah'. Well, we love fish, so decided to give it one more try. Bought a smaller package of it this time. Did both the corn meal fry and the butter grill. It was awful! No texture, unless mushy is considered texture, and totally tasteless. That was probably a couple of years ago, And I haven't bought any since. Nor will I! ! ! ! The only Swai available here is in plastic bags, in the frozen fish section. I don't know if it was the same 'brand' both times I bought it, or not. But regardless, it can remain in the store from now on, As far as I'm concerned! ! ! Rusty