Overcooked: Yuzu We Hardly Knew You

You know it’s pretty much over for an ingredient when it’s used as a tool of sabotage in an episode of Top Chef. In the December 22 episode, Spike was told to pack his knives after the judges tasted his Tomato Tamarind Soup with Olive Oil and Poached Shrimp that Angelo had unhelpfully (for Spike at least) snuck some of his yuzu gelée into. Poor Spike!

Another sign: A critical mass of restaurants named after said ingredient. There’s one in San Francisco, Beaverton, Oregon, Torrance, CA, and in many other places across the country.

Yet, I’ve never seen a Yuzu, have you? I was only able to find one grower who grows the fruit in California. It’s commonly grown in Japan, but never imported.

If there isn’t much Yuzu fruit around, how is it that the ingredient appears on restaurant menus everywhere in busy sounding dishes like Salmon with Yuzu-Tarragon Hollandaise, Avocado and Wasabi Mashed Potatoes?

It seems that it’s the Yuzu products, not so much the fruit, which are finding their way into so many dishes.

Not that this is a bad thing. I can see uses for it. Yuzu is mildly tart, fragrant, and fairly intense. It goes well with fish and Japanese food and it balances fat and salt very well.

If the New York Times is any indication, the trend peaked in 2003. But for those of us in the provinces, we may not have fully experienced the joys of Yuzu. So here are some fun ways to use it before it’s completely compostable.

Editor’s note: This is a new column by Vanessa Barrington. For the lighter side of all things foodie, read Overcooked weekly. Overcooked: helping you make the most of today’s trendiest ingredient…before it’s overdone. Be sure to catch Vanessa’s original EcoSalon column, The Green Plate, on the environmental, social, and political issues related to what and how we eat.

Image: Kei!keinoguchi

Vanessa Barrington

Vanessa Barrington is a San Francisco based writer and communications consultant specializing in environmental, social, and political issues in the food system.