Welcome to Real Cajun Cooking - Pure and Simple

RealCajunCooking.com lets you choose from hundreds of authentic Cajun recipes. Learn to easily prepare and cook original Cajun-style family meals with help from south Louisiana's Cajun cook and connoisseur, Jacques Gaspard, who's been preparing great Cajun meals for decades. Create the best gumbos, seafood, jambalaya, stews, salads and deserts -- the way they were originally prepared. Besides great original recipes, you will discover a hodgepodge of stories, recordings, videos and humorous anecdotes to entertain. So enjoy! Don't forget to tell all of your family and friends about Real Cajun Cooking.

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White Chicken Enchiladas

This White Chicken Enchiladas recipe was handed down to me by a friend who lives a few miles from me. It is sooo good that you'd better plan on making a couple batches of these if you have two or more people in your family or group, or they won't forgive you for not making more. It is easy to make as you will see.

Ingredients


  1. 10 soft taco shells
  2. 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
  3. 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I prefer Kraft Tex-Mex)
  4. 2 Tbsp. butter
  5. 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  6. 2 cups chicken broth
  7. 1 cup sour cream
  8. 1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilis

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Grease a 9" x 13" pan
  • Mix chicken and 1 cup shredded cheese
  • Roll up in tortillas and place in pan
  • In a saucepan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute
  • Add broth and whisk until smooth
  • Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly
  • Stir in sour cream and chillis Note: Do not bring to boil or the sour cream will curdle.
  • Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.
  • Bake 22 minutes and then under high broil for 3 minutes to brown the cheese.
Enjoy! Let me know how you like 'em.

KT
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Garlic-Loaf Shrimp Po-Boy

    Garlic-Loaf Shrimp Po-Boy
  • 2 dozen large shrimp, deveined and fried
  • 1 fresh loaf (garlic) French bread, large
  • 1 cup lettuce, shredded
  • sliced tomatoes
  • tartar sauce
  • salt and pepper to taste

Begin by frying a couple dozens large shrimp using the Gaspard's Spicy Catfish Nuggets recipe (just substitute shrimp). Deep fry until they float to the top.

Prepare a dozen at the time and don't over-cook. When a light golden-brown color is reached (about 3 minutes at 375 degrees F.) remove the shrimp from the hot oil with a slotted spoon and place them onto some paper towels to cool and to absorb any excess oil. Repeat the process until all the shrimp are done.

Purchase the garlic French bread already sliced in half (lengthwise). Use your oven broiler to lightly toast the garlic loaf (spread side up) and set aside. Later, when you are done, you can slice the loaf in half to make two equally proportioned po-boys.

On the bottom-half of the loaf, evenly distribute the shredded lettuce. Then on top of the lettuce arrange the tomato slices along the entire length of the sandwich.

On the top-half of the loaf spread a generous amount of tartar sauce. Complete your sandwich by arranging the fried shrimp on the bottom-half of the loaf, season to taste, put the bread-cap back on, perform your final cut ... and Voila!--two Shrimp Po-Boys...Cajun style! (if you end-up with a few left-over shrimp just eat them as a snack and enjoy) Ahheee!! C'est Bon!

KT
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Shrimp Cocktail

  • 12 Colossal wild shrimp, cleaned and deveined (leave tails on)
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 Tbs Zatarain's Shrimp & Crab Boil
  • ice
  • cocktail sauce
  • 1/2 lemon, cut into 4 equal wedges


Add 1 Tbs. Zatarain's Concentrated Shrimp & Crab boil to 2 cups water. Bring to boil. Add shrimp and cook for 3 minutes. Immediately put them on ice to stop the cooking process. Make a cocktail sauce by mixing 2 parts catchup; 1 part prepared-horseradish, a few drops of lemon juice and a couple shakes of Tabasco sauce. Mix well and serve in dipping bowl.

You can make your own shrimp boil by using red or cayenne pepper, bay leaves, cloves, powdered garlic and celery salt. (In the old days we used only cayenne pepper, quartered lemons and salt.)

Arrange the lemon wedges equal distant around the dip bowl with 3 large shrimp between each. Place bowl on a bed of ice on top of fresh lettuce. Serves 2 - 4.

This specialty dish can be prepared faster than a cat can lick its ... uh ... tail.

It don't get no better than this.

Mes amis--Enjoy!




Wild Gulf of Mexico White Colossal Shrimp
Whew! That was a mouth full--and so were the U/15 count shrimp, (meaning under 15 per pound), which I used in this easy to prepare shrimp cocktail recipe.

Shrimp are decapod crustaceans (ten legs). Like lobsters, crabs, and crayfish, shrimp are fascinating and busy underwater workers and a delightful addition to the culinary desires and tastes of diners throughout the world.

Out of the nearly 5 million tons of shrimp harvested annually, the largest importer is none other than the United States. Americans, no-doubt, love to eat shrimp.

Worldwide there are about 300 known species of shrimp ... but the world's best eating variety (the Wild Gulf of Mexico White Shrimp), is highly coveted for its firm texture; its uniquely delicate taste, and ease of preparation.

Today's chefs purchase shrimp and other seafood in an IQF state (Individually Quick Frozen), with convenience and preservation being the main consideration. By stocking an inventory of IQF shrimp, restaurant cooks (and home cooks, too) can remove as much as needed from the freezer, individually. They are not all stuck together.

Large shrimp boats are able to venture farther out in the waters these days to discover shrimp because they utilize spacious on-board arctic blast freezers. These blast freezers can render the entire catch into a sub-zero rock-hard state within moments after hitting the deck.

In this highly frozen state, the shrimp are less likely to attract harmful bacteria. Some boats stay out on the waters for weeks and months at the time before returning to dock with the knowledge that their seafood are as fresh as the moment they were harvested. The quality and freshness have been cryogenically frozen in time.

In the past decade or so, discussions on health-safety issues and the consumption of imported farm-raised shrimp (especially the popular Asian Black Tiger variety often seen in U.S. supermarkets and restaurants) have been swimming around in a sea of controversy.

The main issue seems to be the negative environmental impact created when foreign shrimp ponds are abandoned or misused versus harvesting the shrimp (in the wild) from the world's oceans, gulfs and bays.

Since the U.S. is the world's largest importer, any embargo or strict import regulations would present serious problems to the consumer by driving the prices up sky-high. To cover the present demand, should the foreign farm-raised shrimp become unavailable for any reason, would be practically impossible. The void could not be filled solely with "wild" shrimp. The oceans could become depleted in record-time.

The other concern has to do with the quality and safety of consuming overseas products which are not under the direct auspices of our own federal regulatory agencies. We are all privy to some of the tainted Chinese products (like animal foods, baby formulas and toys) that have been recently discovered and subsequently banned from the U.S. market place.

In other words, it's tough to keep a close-eye on foreign shrimp growers and suppliers. The U.S. cannot impose regulations on foreign growers with respect to using safe protocols as it does with its own shrimp farmers, nor can it filter-out any potentially harmful substances which may have been passed-on through the food chain into the mouths of the consumers. Most of the time, unfortunately, the discovery of unsafe products is usually made after-the-fact.

This is not the case with Wild White Gulf of Mexico Shrimp (or the pink and brown varieties for that matter) because all three American varieties are safe and good to eat.

In conclusion, if you are intent on buying farm-raised shrimp, you might consider purchasing the ones grown in America. The shrimp farmers there offer a safe product.


Bon jour!
Update: Toxic Seafood Warning!  (video)
Please follow this link to download a government published document about seafood fraud:
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09258.pdf?source=ra
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Coca-Cola Cowboy Slow Cooked Smoked Deer Roast Recipe | A Smoking Hot New Way to Cook Venison

Cowboy Deer Roast
It’s that time of the year again. ‘Tis the season for bagging deer. Not reindeer, but White-tailed deer. We cannot put ol' red-nosed Rudolf in harms way until after the Christmas holidays, now can we?

The annual ritual of processing the White-tailed quarry into venison roasts, steaks and sausages has evolved into a near art-form, especially for many of the old timers I personally know who have been at this wild game for a long time. 

New ways of preparing and cooking deer meat is always a welcomed delight, too--especially if the end result is truly outstanding. It's got to be like a number 1 hit country song in my humble opinion--like this recipe.

Speaking of number one hit songs, perhaps you have already heard the country classic “Coca~Cola Cowboy” recorded by Mel Tillis [Released 1979; Label MCA ] who sings about his love interest--a woman who refers to him as a Coca-Cola cowboy with “an Eastwood smile and Robert Redford hair”. (If you haven’t heard the song you may listen to it by visiting the link provided below.)

So, what does this song have to do with cooking a dear roast you may be asking?

Well, not much quite frankly, except I was hoping the title might be catchy and a nice attention-grabber since I do use Coca-Cola Classic, and a couple of other secret ingredients, which gives the slow-cooked deer roast a nice smoked taste and helps to bring out the other wonderful and natural flavors of wild game. And, we can do it all without using an outdoor smoker or BBQ pit.

Let me show you how easily it is done.


Ingredients

  • 4-6 lb. deer roast, tenderized
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 small bottle Colgin Liquid Smoke
  • 1 pkt. Lipton’s Beefy Onion Soup mix
  • 1 cup Coca-Cola Classic
  • 1/2 cup salt
  • 1 medium onion, sliced into slivers
  • 1/2 garlic pod (about 6 cloves) cut into slivers
  • 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp. black pepper


Instructions

  1. tenderize the deer roast or ham on all sides (I use the Jaccard Supertendermatic to tenderize mine.)
  2. add 1/2 bottle of Colgin liquid smoke, making sure all the meat absorbs some of the liquid
  3. in a bowl mix the brown sugar, Coca-Cola Classic, salt and the remaining liquid smoke
  4. pour the brine-sugar-liquid smoke mixture on all sides of the roast and rub in firmly
  5. use the tenderizer again so that the mixture may absorb deeply into the cut of meat
  6. turn the meat over every few hours and reapply the syrupy brine mixture on top
  7. marinade for 12 hours as you repeat step 6
  8. gently wash the marinade off the venison using cold running water (do not over do it)
  9. using a sharp knife create enough pockets or 'slits' throughout the roast for stuffing
  10. combine the onion, garlic, ground cayenne pepper and half the Lipton Soup Mix and mix well
  11. stuff the slits (pockets) of the roast with this mixture until all of the stuffing is used up
  12. sprinkle a generous amount of garlic and onion powder, ground black pepper and remaining soup mix on all sides of the roast
  13. tightly wrap the entire roast onto a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil
  14. position the roast in a large enough roasting pan so the sides of the roast does not touch the sides of the roasting pan
  15. begin roasting in the oven at 275º F. for 3 hours, then at 300º for 2 hours
  16. let the roast cool down before carving (slice against the grain)
  17. make gravy with the drippings

    How to Make Venison Roast Gravy?

    Cooking deer meat slow and low, while it is wrapped tightly in aluminum foil, will produce a liquid which is filled with all of the seasonings which were added to the roast in the first place. This is where our gravy will come from. 

    Keep in mind that the liquid will also tend to be a little salty from our brine-sugar marinade, some of which is embedded an inch or more inside the muscles, and the Lipton Beefy Onion Soup mix. That shouldn't be much of a problem if you dilute the liquid in a medium sauce pan with more liquid and a thickening agent.

    We can do this by dissolving a couple tablespoons of all-purpose flour, or cornstarch, in about a half-cup, or more, of cold water. Bring the original liquid up to a slow-boil then slowly add the thickening liquid to the sauce pan while stirring at the same time. In a minute or two the gravy will begin to thicken. Turn off the heat and it's ready to serve. 

    I like to use this gravy on homemade creamed-cheese mashed potatoes. Talk about good! 

    Ahheee!! C'est bon!... Enjoy! 

    "Coca~Cola Cowboy"... song by Mel Tillis



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    DIY Cajun Seasoning

    Cheese whiz. Where do I start? Like the myriad of gumbo recipes floating out there in cyberspace, folks will tell you all kinds of ways to conjure-up Cajun seasonings. Many popular commercial brands already adorn our supermarket shelves like Tony Chachere, Slap ya Mama, Zatarains and others. However, these ready-made seasonings also contain preservatives and anti-caking chemicals to extend their shelf-life while shortening ours.

    But, the truth about Cajun seasoning is that it's rather simple to make your own just about anytime you want because most of the spices and salts used to make a good mix are probably already in your spice rack.

    To make one measure begin by using the 4 main ingredients (in order of importance) and work your way down. Take care not to overpower your homemade Cajun seasonings with too much of one kind of spice or another. The following formula is a guideline which you may use to make your own. You can multiply this measured-mix to prepare more.


    • 1 tsp red or cayenne pepper, finely ground
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
    • 1/8 tsp onion powder


    This is a basic well-rounded formula to which you may add additional spices, to taste, such as basil, white or black pepper, paprika, chili powder or celery salt.

    The reason I don't add more garlic and onion powder or celery salt, for example, is because many of the dishes I prepare already come with a trinity of fresh onions, peppers and celery so there is no need for redundancy.

    I mix-in the above amount with two cups of powdered gumbo roux to make a half-gallon of many of my favorite gumbos. It works out great for me with sausage and boudin recipes because I am free to add any of the other spices along the way to adjust the taste. When making sausage or boudin I will add my seasoning mix in a liquid solution like water, beer or broth so that it can be more easily disbursed throughout.

    You can save lots of dough by making your own Cajun seasonings as you go.

    Hope this helps. Ahheee!!

    KT
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    ISF Sliced Green Tomatoes | How to Have Fried Green Tomatoes Year-Round | Video

    How to Freeze Green Tomatoes?

    ISF is an acronym for "Individually Slow Frozen". It is the opposite of IQF... which means "Individually Quick Frozen". But, before we learn about ISF, you may want to know about IQF first.

    IQF foods have been around for a long time. The industrial process involves very quickly freezing foods individually, like various meats, seafood and vegetables for example.
    Green Tomatoes

    The individually frozen foods do not touch each other during the freezing process, so they don't clump together during packaging. This allows the end user of the product to remove as much as needed from the container without thawing the entire contents.

    Frozen food processors are equipped with machinery which simulate strong arctic blasts. In a matter of a few short minutes, foods can be preserved at sub-freezing temperatures. IQF shrimp, for example, can be frozen at temperatures approaching -50º F.

    IQF foods are safer and last longer than foods which are preserved at just below 32º F. and it offers several advantages.

    IQF prevents bacterial growth and allows stores, restaurants and consumers to use practical methods of storing foods safely and for longer periods of time.

    Unfortunately, most of us cannot afford the large and expensive industrial blast freezers. We have to improvise by using our home freezers--which is not a problem.

    This is where ISF enters the picture. It merely takes a little more time to achieve similar results, keeping in mind of course, that the foods we preserve in our home freezers will not attain the subfreezing temperatures of the blast freezers

    This short video demonstrates how we can preserve sliced green tomatoes by 'slowly' freezing them on a cookie sheet lined with food grade waxed paper. And, we can do it in our refrigerator freezers.

    Getting it done is a breeze... or, should I say a "freeze'?

    However we describe it, this is a clever way of preserving sliced green tomatoes and it affords us the opportunity to have 'em year-round.

    Hint: If you plan to use your ISF sliced green tomatoes in the not too distant future, then it's okay to save them in your freezer using zipper or resealable bags. If not, then it might be a good idea to vacuum seal them so they can keep for a longer period of time.

    One other thing. It's important to not let the tomato slices touch each other during the freezing process so they may freeze individually. That way, as mentioned before, after packaging you can remove only the amount needed from the bag and save the rest for later.

    I hope this helps.

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    Cajun Style Ground Beef and Turnip Burgers

    Cajun-style Ground Beef and Turnip Burgers are juicy AND delicious!

    Anyone who knows me well also knows that I'm always experimenting with something new in my kitchen.

    The other day a friend gave me a bag of turnips--each about the size of a baseball.

    Turnip
    What to do with 'em, I wondered?

    Last night I boiled two of them. I ate one while it was still hot and I let the other cool down for the purposes of mashing it later and mixing it with ground beef to make a burger (just to find out how it would taste).

    I used 1/2 of a mashed turnip to about 1/4 lb. of 80/20 mix ground beef (20% fat and 80% lean).  I also added a few of my favorite Cajun spices to the mix for extra flavor.

    The results were great!

    Although I could barely taste the turnip (maybe a little) it had the affect of creating a juicy and delicious burger without a lot of shrinkage. I think I'm on to something here??

    I hope you enjoy this new Cajun-style ground beef and turnip burger recipe as much as I did. It's always good to learn one more way to cook and enjoy turnips.

    One other note. The ingredients listed below is for only one burger. You will have to adjust it to make several burgers at a time.

    Ingredients

    • 1/4 lb. ground beef (80/20)
    • 1 Tbsp. butter
    • 1/2 boiled turnip (mashed)
    • 1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper         
    • 1/2 tsp. onion powder
    • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
    • 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
    • salt to taste

    Instructions

    1. thoroughly mix the ground beef, mashed turnip and dry ingredients together
    2. in a skillet melt the 1 tbsp. of butter
    3. fry on both sides (medium heat) for a few minutes until completely cooked
    4. serve as a sandwich or opened face


    CYL (catch ya later)... back to my lab.

    Bon appetite! Ahheeee!! 
    KT

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    Fish Courtbouillon (fish soup)

    Ingredients

    • 3 lbs. fresh fish
    • 1 cup onions, chopped
    • ½ cup celery, chopped
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 large can tomato sauce
    • 1 medium can Rotel tomatoes
    • 2 medium bay leaves
    • Salt and pepper
    • 1 cup cooking oil
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    Cut fish into bite size pieces. Season generously with salt, red and black pepper then set aside.

    Using the flour and oil, prepare a roux to medium brown color. Add onions and celery. Cook over medium heat in uncovered pot until onions are barely soft, stirring constantly. Add tomato sauce, Rotel tomatoes, bay leaves, and water. Cook about 40 minutes to 1 hour. Add garlic and fish. Continue cooking over medium heat for about 25 minutes.

    Serve in soup bowls with cooked long grain rice. Use bread or hush puppies. Serves 8 to 10 people.

    (K-T)
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    Grilled Rainbow Trout Salad

    Now, I know this recipe is not true to theme, but it tasted so good and it was so simple to make that I just had to share it.



    I started with a couple of nice rainbow trout fillets, skin on. I coated both sides of each fillet with olive oil. On the meat side of the fillets, I sprinkled with Flower of the Ocean Celtic Sea Salt (this stuff is great). I added some lemon zest, fresh cracked black pepper, fresh dill, and oregano.

    I heated the grill to 375 degrees, cleaned and oiled the grate, then cooked the trout. I started with the meat side down for about 4-5 minutes. Then, I flipped the fillets over and did the same with the skin side down.

    When the fillets were done, I squeezed a little lemon juice. I tossed a baby green salad with some red wine vinaigrette, some blue cheese crumbles, and some candied pecans.

    The fat between the meat and the skin rendered nicely, allowing the cooked fillets to slide right off. I topped the salad with the grilled trout, and served with some chilled white wine. Delicious!





    Update:  I tried this again, but this time I skipped the lemon zest, and added smoked paprika to the spices I put onto the fish. I served the fish skin-side down. 

    On the salad, instead of pecans I used walnuts, but I added some chopped granny smith apple.  I squeezed a little lemon on the salad to brighten it up. 

    When I grilled the trout, I also grilled some shucked corn-on-the-cob over high heat, until I got some good browning on many of the kernels.  Back in the kitchen, I cut the roasted kernels off of the cob, and sauteed them in a pat of butter and olive oil, along with some chopped red bell pepper, and chopped red onion, with a little Celtic Sea Salt. 

    I served it with some chilled Menage et Trois white wine, which went perfectly with this healthy and delicious meal.



    Barbecuing Chicken Leg Quarters

    I prefer barbecuing chicken leg quarters more so than the other parts of the chicken--especially the white meat (chicken breast). And, here are a couple reasons why I like barbecuing chicken leg quarters more than other parts of the yard bird:
    1. The dark meat has more flavor than the white meat.
    2. I am able to use my special dark meat secret marinade.
      The secret that I am about to reveal to you will certainly set you apart from the rest of the humdrum (always the same old stuff) culinary crowd--and it's very simple to do. All it takes is brown sugar, salt, liquid smoke, a large nonreactive container, an indoor oven... and eventually a barbecue grill.

      So, if you are ready... let's get started.

      Ingredients

      BBQ Chicken Quarters
      • 10 lbs. chicken leg quarters (fryers)
      • 4 oz. Colgin Liquid Smoke
      • 1/2 lb. brown sugar (dark if you can get it)
      • 1/2 cup salt

      Instructions

      1. remove skins from the chicken quarters (set aside)
      2. clean and rinse chicken quarters under cool running water (leave wet)
      3. put chicken quarters in a large non-reactive container (enamel, plastic, stainless)
      4. in a small bowl add half the bottle of liquid smoke, brown sugar and salt, mix well
      5. use clean hands to coat all of the chicken pieces thoroughly with the marinade
      6. marinate the chicken quarters for 6 - 8 hours, re-coating the chicken every couple hours
      7. when ready remove chicken quarters from the marinade
      8. gently wash the marinade off the chicken using as little water as possible (don't overwash)
      9. apply the remaining liquid smoke to the chicken quarters (even distribution)
      10. place all the chicken quarters in a large roasting pan
      11. set the oven at 275° F. and cook for 2 1/2 hours (lid on)
      12. transfer the cooked chicken quarters to the barbecue grill
      13. smoke the chicken quarters on low heat (away from the fire) for 30 more minutes
      Note: It is important not to pressure wash the chicken quarters under the faucet after marinating because it will wash away all of the slightly sweet smokey flavor that we are trying to capture. Over washing defeats the purpose of marinating.

      PS. If it's raining outside and you don't have access to a grill, just continue cooking the chicken leg quarters in the oven for about another hour. I promise it will still come out great.

      PPS. What do I do with the chicken skins? Glad you asked. Follow this link: Cacklin Cracklins.

      Bon appetite!
      KT
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      White Shredded Chicken and Monterey Jack Cheese Enchiladas

      This is the best White Shredded Chicken and Monterey Jack Cheese Enchiladas Recipe that I've ever run across. It is so delicious that I have to keep it a secret from my neighbors when I make a batch 'cause often times I wound up with none for myself. It's fairly easy to make and people will be begging for more... guaranteed!

      Ingredients

      10 soft taco shells
      2   cups cooked shredded chicken
      2   cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
      3   Tbsp. butter
      3   Tbsp. all-purpose flour
      2   cups chicken broth
      1   cup sour cream
      1   (4 oz) can diced green chilies

      Instructions

      1.  preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
      2.  grease a 9 x 13 inch pan or baking dish
      3.  mix 1 cup of cheese and chicken
      4.  roll up in tortillas and place in pan
      5.  in a sauce pan melt butter and stir-in all-purpose flour and cook for 1 minute
      6.  add broth and whisk until smooth
      7.  stir-in sour cream and chilis (don't boil because the sour cream will curdle)
      8.  pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese
      9.  bake 22 minutes and then under high-broil for 3 minutes to brown the cheese

      Bon Appetite!

      KT  


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