30 Minute Meals Season 3 Episode 11 30-Minute Passport To Russia

In episode 11 of season 3 of 30 Minute Meals, titled "30-Minute Passport To Russia," host Rachael Ray takes viewers on a culinary journey to Russia without ever leaving the kitchen. The episode begins with Ray explaining the dishes she will be preparing and giving a brief history of Russian cuisine.

First up, Ray prepares a classic Russian dish, beef stroganoff. She starts by cooking wide egg noodles and setting them aside. Then, she heats up a skillet and adds sliced onions, sliced mushrooms, and garlic. Once the vegetables are softened, she adds strips of beef tenderloin and cooks them until they are browned. To create the creamy sauce, Ray adds beef broth, sour cream, Dijon mustard, and a little bit of flour to thicken it up. The dish is served over the egg noodles, and Ray garnishes it with chopped parsley.

Next, Ray creates a Russian-inspired salad using beets, cucumber, apple, and dill. She starts by roasting beets in the oven until they are tender. While the beets are cooking, Ray chops up cucumber, apple, and dill and tosses them together in a bowl. Once the beets are done, Ray peels and slices them and adds them to the bowl with the other ingredients. Finally, she adds a simple vinaigrette made with mustard, honey, red wine vinegar, and olive oil.

For the main course, Ray prepares a dish that is both exotic and impressive. She makes salmon en croute with a dill and horseradish cream sauce. To make the dish, Ray starts by making a simple pastry dough using flour, salt, butter, and ice water. While the dough is chilling in the fridge, Ray seasons the salmon and sears it in a hot skillet to lock in the flavor. To assemble the dish, Ray rolls out the pastry dough and places the salmon on top. She then folds the dough around the salmon and brushes it with an egg wash for a golden brown finish. The dish is baked in the oven until the pastry is crispy and the salmon is cooked through. Ray finishes the dish with a creamy and tangy sauce made with sour cream, horseradish, and fresh dill.

To round out the meal, Ray serves up a simple and delicious dessert - sweetened condensed milk cookies. These cookies are made using just four ingredients - sweetened condensed milk, flour, vanilla extract, and baking powder. Ray mixes the ingredients together, rolls them into balls, and bakes them until they are golden brown and chewy.

Throughout the episode, Ray shares tips and tricks for making each dish quickly and efficiently. She also shares fun facts about Russian cuisine and culture, making for an entertaining and educational cooking show experience.

Overall, 30-Minute Passport To Russia is a fantastic episode of 30 Minute Meals that showcases the delicious flavors and unique ingredients of Russian cuisine. With Rachael Ray as your guide, viewers can learn how to create a variety of easy and impressive dishes that will impress any dinner party guests.