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1
Prep your corn the safe way (with thanks Merrill & Kristen -- http://food52.com/blog/2259-how-to-de-kernel-corn) by placing one ear horizontally on a cutting board or the work surface in front of you. Hold one edge of the corn while slicing the kernels off the opposite side with a sharp knife. Rotate cob so that the flat, cut side is now sitting firmly on your work surface and repeat until you have cut around the entire ear. Repeat with remaining ears of corn. You should have between 2 to 3 cups of kernels (depending on the size of your ears). Place in a bowl and set aside.
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2
Milk your cobs one at a time by standing upright (trimming the end to make it sit flat if necessary) in a pie plate and, carefully work downwards, scraping the cob with the backside of your knife. Continue on all sides of the cob. Repeat with remaining cobs. Transfer mixture to a two cup or quart Pyrex measure -- you should have about 3/4 cup corn milk and pulp. Add enough dairy milk so that entire mixture measures 1 1/2 cups. Set aside.
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3
In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until it's crispy and the fat has rendered. Using a slotted utensil, transfer bacon pieces to a small bowl and set aside.
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4
Add onion, flattened garlic, corn kernels, and jalapeno to bacon drippings. Add a pinch of salt and maple syrup. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring to ensure nothing burns. Transfer corn mixture to a bowl and set aside to cool.
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5
Return Dutch oven to heat and immediately add quinoa and basmati to begin toasting, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Toast until grains are fragrant and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Carefully add water (grains will sizzle and spit) turning heat down if necessary. Add reserved corn milk-dairy milk mixture from Pyrex. Bring mixture to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low to simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, until liquid is completely absorbed and grains are tender.
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6
Gently fluff grains with a fork and transfer to a large serving bowl to cool. Help grains cool by pulling from the bottom of the bowl with a spatula, essentially folding from the bottom up.
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7
Once the grains have cooled a bit, fold in crispy bacon pieces and any oil that accumulated in the bowl. Continue to build the salad by thoroughly folding in the corn-onion-jalapeno mixture, then half of the Cotija cheese, half of the chives, and half of the cilantro. Your ingredients should be evenly distributed.
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8
Finish salad by topping with remaining cheese, chives, cilantro, and a few grinds of black pepper. Serve immediately or at room temperature. Enjoy!
