The Official Maine Dept. of Fish and Game Coot Stew

This originally came from the 1978 Maine Div. of Fish and Game Maine Recipes Cookbook. Now it's reprinted (as Judy Marsh's Coot Stew) in the Duck and Goose Cookbook by A.D. Livingston (Stackpole 1997). I like to call it, the

Official Maine Dept. of Fish and Game Coot Stew

"several" coots
1 quart water
1 quart tomatoes
1/4 lb. butter
5 egg-size onions
5 carrots, chopped
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons wine
2 to 4 beef bouillon cubes
bay leaf
1 heaping tsp. marjoram
salt and pepper
flour

Put all ingredients except coots, butter, and flour in pot. Bring to boil, cover, and simmer. As pot heats up breast coots, cutting meat into bite-sized pieces. Shake coot pieces in bag with flour; then brown them in sautee pan in butter. Add coot to pot. Add water to sautee pan to make gravy. Pour gravy into pot. Cover pot, reduce heat to very low simmer, and cook for two hours.
Note: any meat can be substituted for the coot. Try any sea ducks--trim all fat, and marinade in water and baking soda.