I seldom make a soup that can’t benefit from a dash of yuzu. Salad dressings, and, basically, just about anywhere you would use lemon juice. Yuzu provides a far less abrasive bright touch than lemon juice, though.The recipe I usually think of first, is the classic macrobiotic kale dish.

Macro Greens

4-6 large leaves of Kale (I like to grow Red Russion, which is so mild and tender!)

Wash the leaves. Fold them in half; slice out and discard the rib. Roll up the remaining leaf, and slice it into thin strips. Steam briefly. The amount of time you steam depends on the maturity and freshness of the leaves. In the summer, I barely cook them for 3 or 4 minutes. But in winter, when I’m purchasing from the market, I find I need to cook for 6 or 7 minutes. As soon as the kale is tender, and still bright green, remove to a large bowl and toss briefly to cool and stop the cooking process.

Mix seperately:

1 Tbs Shoyu (Soy sauce)
1 Tbs filtered water
1 Tbs Yuzu vinegar
1/2 -1 tsp ginger juice, freshly grated and pressed

Toss the dressing with the greens. These can be served immediately at room temperature, or can be stored, covered, on the counter for a day or two. The flavor will intensify as the kale “cultures.”

Just before serving, toast 1 Tbs of unhulled sesame seeds in a cast iron frying pan, and sprinkle over the greens.

I have found yuzu seeds for sale, too, and hope to start a yuzu tree one day. They are one of the most cold tolerant citrus varieties, able to withstand temperatures down to 10*F. That wouldn’t survive a cold winter in Ithaca, of course, but perhaps it could be grown in a tub and brought indoors as needed.