Maple Vinaigrette

I'm a relatively new convert to Chick Fil A. I'm not nearly as hardcore as many of the locals around here (I don't make it my life's ambition to eat there at least once a day, for instance, like some people I know), but I appreciate their classy take on the fast food theme. Additionally, I like the fact that for a fast food place, you can choose to eat relatively well. Take their new "superfood" salad. I know that kale is in vogue right now, so it strikes me as kind of a publicity stunt, but it's a darn tasty one. I don't think I'll complain too much that they decided to jump on the bandwagon.

I really like the maple vinaigrette, too. It's sweet but has just a bit of an edge and a pleasantly complex taste. After looking online to see if someone had already developed a good "copycat" recipe, I realized I'd have to do it myself. Most of the recipes I looked at in no way resembled the ingredient profile of Chick Fil A's vinaigrette. My version, I think, really comes very close to the flavor profile of the original.

This maple vinaigrette is darn tasty. While I do really like it on the kale/broccolini mixture Chick Fil A uses, it would work on all kinds of other salad mixtures. The original is fairly sweet, I think to help mitigate some of the bitterness you can often get in kale. If you want to make it less sweet, just reduce or eliminate the brown sugar. As for the nut mixture, you can use candied nuts or just a mixture of roasted ones. The nice thing about making the superfood salad at home is that you can customize it to your palate! They cap it off with dried, tart cherries, which I think is perfect, but you could use any other kind of dried fruit that floats your boat.

Lastly, before I give you the recipe, let's have a brief word about massaging. Massaging bitter greens like kale releases enzymes that help break those bitter compounds down, making your salad a more enjoyable experience. Simply wash, spin, and cut/tear your greens as usual, dress them, and then get in there with your hands and give them a back rub! While you're working them, you'll notice that the leaves will lose some of their inherent toughness (making kale especially more palatable, in my book) and the color will darken. It usually takes 2-3 minutes to get them just right. I don't like to do it too long, or the leaves become wilty and remind me of cooked greens - not what you want for a salad! This works for kale and also broccolini. You could make this salad with broccoli rabe as well (in my experience, broccolini has been hard to find), but it is a bit more bitter. Some folks like that more than others. You do not, by the way, need to blanch the broccolini or broccoli rabe, if using them; just be sure to give them a little massaging, too.

Maple Vinaigrette
Yield: approx 1 cup vinaigrette

1/4 real maple syrup
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 TBS soy sauce
1 TBS balsamic vinegar
1 tsp onion powder
4 tsp brown sugar (optional, or to taste)
1/16 tsp guar gum (optional, helps to emulsify the dressing)

Mix all ingredients together in a jar. Place a cap on the jar and shake vigorously for a full minute. Keep leftovers refrigerated and use within a week.