Castellon's Kitchen: Gravedigger Pilaf (Black Rice & Lentil Pilaf)

My 'Summer of Halloween' is in full swing, and this compost-inspired Gravedigger Pilaf is the next installment of festive Halloween dishes on my list this year. A fun follow up to the sinister Roots of All Evil side dish I posted last month. A deliciously dark and mysterious Halloween dish made with roasted purple carrots and a maple tahini sauce and topped with pistachios and pomegranate seeds. Yum!

So, as I planned the meal around these gorgeous tubers, I wanted to play with the idea that carrots grow in dirt. So my goal was to create a side dish that looked like a platter of worm filled dirt with weeds and mushrooms. A delicious creation of earthy goodness of mushrooms sauteed with shallots and garlic. And layers of flavor with lentils cooked in chicken broth, red wine with a touch of fennel; Add the chewy texture and nutty flavor of Forbidden® rice cooked in chicken broth and garlic intertwined with worm hued pasta and we have the perfect Halloween side dish loaded with savory flavor and hearty texture. Enjoy!

🎃🎃🎃105 days until Halloween🎃🎃🎃

Gravedigger Pilaf (Forbidden® Rice & Lentil Pilaf)

Serves 8-10

Prep Rice:
1 cup Forbidden® Rice (*substitute wild rice but prepare according to package directions)
2 cups chicken broth
1 clove garlic, minced
~Cook forbidden rice in rice cooker with chicken broth and minced garlic. Keep warm.

Prep Lentils:
1 cup lentils (rinsed and picked through)
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup red wine
1 tsp fennel powder
~Add lentils, chicken broth, red wine and fennel powder to a medium saucepan and simmer for 30-40 minutes until lentils are tender.

Prep Pasta:
1/2 cup cut fideo pasta (substitute with broken spaghetti)
salted water with added red food coloring
~Prepare pasta according to package directions in red water. Drain and toss with olive oil.

Prep Mushrooms and Onions
2 T Olive oil
5-6 shallots, sliced (substitute with 1 cup diced onions)
1 large clove garlic, minced
4-5 cups of mixed mushrooms, sliced(I used baby bellas and oyster)
3 T sherry
Thyme leaves
salt and pepper

Saute shallots, mushrooms, and garlic in olive oil until mushrooms soften and shallots are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add cooking Sherry and continue to heat until sherry is absorbed. Add thyme leaves and salt and pepper to taste.

In a large bowl combine the lentils, rice, pasta and the mushrooms and toss until combined. Taste and adjust with salt, pepper and thyme leaves. Transfer to a serving bowl or platter and garnish with thyme sprigs.