Infinity Loop Modernist Dish (Print)

An artfully arranged figure-eight dish combining vibrant vegetables, herb oil, and crisp quinoa for elegant plating.

# Components:

→ Vegetable Purée

01 - 5.3 oz carrots, peeled and sliced
02 - 2.5 fl oz vegetable stock
03 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - Salt, to taste

→ Marinated Mushrooms

05 - 3.5 oz assorted mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, cremini), cleaned and sliced
06 - 1 tbsp olive oil
07 - 1 tsp lemon juice
08 - ¼ tsp fine sea salt
09 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Pickled Shallots

10 - 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
11 - 2 fl oz white wine vinegar
12 - 2 tsp granulated sugar
13 - ¼ tsp salt

→ Herb Oil

14 - 0.9 oz fresh parsley leaves
15 - 1.7 fl oz extra virgin olive oil
16 - Pinch of salt

→ Roasted Beets

17 - 1 small beet, peeled and cut into 0.4 inch cubes
18 - 1 tsp olive oil
19 - Pinch of salt

→ Crispy Quinoa

20 - 1.4 oz uncooked quinoa, rinsed
21 - 8.5 fl oz water
22 - Pinch of salt
23 - 1 tsp vegetable oil

→ Garnish

24 - Microgreens (e.g., red sorrel, beet cress)
25 - Edible flowers (optional)
26 - Flaky sea salt

# Directions:

01 - Combine sliced carrots and vegetable stock in a small saucepan. Simmer gently over medium heat, partially covered, for 15 to 20 minutes until carrots are tender. Drain and transfer to a blender. Add butter and salt then blend on high until smooth and velvety. Adjust thickness with stock if needed. Transfer purée to a piping bag and keep warm.
02 - Place sliced mushrooms in a bowl. Add olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss gently and let marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to coat evenly, without over-marinating.
03 - Heat white wine vinegar with sugar and salt over low heat until sugar dissolves, avoiding boiling. Pour hot liquid over sliced shallots and let sit for at least 20 minutes until vibrant and slightly softened but still crisp. Drain before plating.
04 - Blend parsley leaves, olive oil, and a pinch of salt on high for one minute until oil is vividly green and infused. Strain through fine-mesh sieve into a squeeze bottle; discard solids.
05 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss beet cubes with olive oil and salt, spread evenly on parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes, turning once halfway, until tender with lightly caramelized edges. Cool slightly before plating.
06 - Boil water with salt in a small saucepan. Add quinoa, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes until tender and water absorbed. Drain and spread quinoa on paper towels to dry for 10 minutes. Heat vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high, fry quinoa until golden and crisp, stirring constantly. Drain on paper towels.
07 - On each large white plate, pipe carrot purée into a 0.4 inch wide continuous figure-eight loop. Nestle marinated mushrooms along the lower curve evenly. Arrange roasted beet cubes alternating with pickled shallot rings along the upper curve for balanced color. Drizzle herb oil inside the purée loop. Sprinkle crispy quinoa where ingredients meet. Garnish with microgreens and optionally edible flowers at junctions. Finish with flaky sea salt, ensuring a harmonious, flowing presentation.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's the kind of dish that makes guests pause and admire before eating—a showstopper that actually tastes as sophisticated as it looks.
  • Once you master the technique, you'll find yourself creating these stunning plates for every special occasion, knowing you've just leveled up your cooking confidence.
  • Every component can be prepped in advance, meaning you're actually less stressed on the day itself, even though it appears impossibly intricate.
02 -
  • Undercooked carrots will stubbornly resist blending and give you a grainy purée that refuses to flow smoothly—always pierce with a fork to confirm they're truly tender before blending.
  • The mushrooms are forgiving, but oversalted shallots will ruin the delicate balance of your plate. Drain them thoroughly before plating, and taste one to confirm they're perfectly brined, not aggressively vinegary.
  • Crispy quinoa is non-negotiable for texture contrast, but it will lose its crunch within 15 minutes of exposure to air. Fry it just before plating, right when you're ready to assemble.
03 -
  • Use a squeeze bottle for precise, consistent purée application—it gives you far more control than a piping bag and allows for thinner, more elegant lines.
  • Taste every component individually before plating; a single underseasoned or overseasoned element can throw off the entire composition, so adjust each one to near-perfection first.
Back