Recipes by Gena Rowlands: Oven Pilaf; Youvarlakia

Gena Rowlands' Oven Pilaf

1/4 cup butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 cup long-grain rice
1 1/2 cups water (or consomme)
1/2 cup golden mushroom soup
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

I. Melt butter in skillet and saute onion until transparent. Add rice and cook a few minutes.

2. Add boiling water (or consomme) with mushroom soup, salt and pepper; mix well. Turn into a well-greased 1 1/2-quart casserole. Cover and bake in preheated 350 degrees F. oven for about 30 minutes. (Rice should be moist.) Serve as side dish with youvarlakia. Serves 4.

Gena Rowlands' Youvarlakia

2 tbsps. butter
2 large yellow onions
1 can water
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 cup rice (uncooked)
1 large can tomatoes
1 1/2 lbs. top round steak
2 tsps. fresh mint (or dried), crushed
2 beaten eggs

1. Saute 1 chopped onion in butter until onion is golden. Add tomatoes, water, salt and pepper to taste, and sugar. Simmer about 30 minutes (or volume has reduced by one-third). Stir often.

2. Trim fat from steak and put through grinder twice with remaining onion. Add crushed fresh (or dried) mint, eggs and rice. With hands form meat mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls.

3. Drop meatballs into boiling sauce. Cook 10-15 minutes (or until rice is cooked). Add water so meatballs won't stick to pot. Serves 4.