Food styling: Black bean soup ? casual to super-chic ? food & style

Served in elegant sherry glasses, this black bean soup with pan-roasted poblano peppers and crispy shoestring tortillas makes a gorgeous and stylish hors d?oeuvre (soup shots, anyone??!), not to mention a healthy one.

Ladle the warmed soup in a measuring cup and pour in small sherry glasses. Garnish with a cilantro leaf and a dollop of cr?me fra?che or sour cream. You?ll want to thin the soup with a little water when serving it this way so that it?s a bit more liquid and easier for your guests to sip.

For a bit of fun, try dunking a strip of crispy tortilla in each glass. Slice the tortilla in 1/4? strips and saut? as you would the shoestrings in the following photos. (For instructions, and a video on how to make crispy tortillas, click this on link.)

And why not serve the soup deconstructed? The black bean soup, the crispy shoestring tortillas, along with some diced avocados topped with chopped cilantro ? all served in individual bowls. Your guests will enjoy dipping the garnish in the soup as they eat. Fun and festive!

Serving thin slices of avocado next to the soup makes it a complete meal for lunch. Drizzle the avocado slices with a little lime vinaigrette to bring out their flavor. For the vinaigrette, whisk 1 tablespoon lime juice with 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and a good pinch of sea salt. Sprinkle with finely grated white pepper.

Last but not least, I love serving the soup in these deep bowls. It?s the simplest presentation, but also the most versatile ? casual or chic! Place the garnishes side by side in the center of the soup rather than on top of each other.

Recipe: Black bean soup with pan-roasted poblano peppers and crispy shoestring tortillas

Wine pairing: Elio Grasso, Dolcetto d?Alba dei Grassi 2009

This radish-top soup and slow-roasted radish roots with fennel is another recipe that could go from casual to super-chic? and it?s absolutely scrumptious!

Disclaimer: As always, my point of view is my own. I do not accept samples, and have no commercial relationship with any product, food or wine company.

Tagged as: Avocado, Black bean soup, Black beans, Entertaining, Food presentation, Food styling, Soup shots, Style

? ? ?

Sign up for Viviane?s Newsletter.

Source: http://foodandstyle.com/2012/09/20/food-styling-black-bean-soup-casual-to-super-chic/

60 minutes go daddy Tom Kenny tim tebow Long Island Medium Alfonso Ribeiro morgan freeman