Friday, July 31, 2009

Here is a great, simple appetizer with a Mexican flair. Notice that the food styling of this photo is just okay ...not portfolio quality! It shows a nice black bean and corn salsa-salad accompanied by tortilla scoopers arranged on a Mexican plate. Not bad...but shot by an amateur with a point and shoot camera and no special lighting!

Now, take a look at the nicely styled and beautifully photographed shot of a similar recipe as shown on Portfolio #1 on my website.

I styled that photo in Visual Cuisine's studio in Altamonte Springs, FL . Susan Bourgoin is the studio owner and photographer. Wow! What a difference when styled with care on perfectly chosen props and then shot by a professional! Like they say, "Don't try this at home!"

Regardless of how it looks, here's the recipe. Believe me, it tastes great! This recipe is also featured in a Vegetarian Cuisine DVD program that Wendy and I produced last year.

Black Bean and Corn Salad
1 jalapeno pepper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
4 cups cooked black beans, drained
2 cups whole kernel corn
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1. Slice strips from the jalapeno, leaving the seeds intact. Finely chop the strips. Set aside.
2. Chop the cilantro leaves. combine the jalapeno, cilantro and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Stir to mix well.
3. Cover and refrigerate at least 15 minutes for flavors to blend
4. Serve as an appetizer with tortilla chips, as a side salad or on greens for a main dish serving.
Copyright 2009 - Mary Holloway

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