Looking out at the Sunday drizzle today, I had to finally realize that my stockings were out of the closet for good. While this is a not all together unpleasant thing in what usually is a hot desert hole in summer, I had just gotten used to October holiday weather i.e.  20-25 degrees Celsius and blistering sunshine, blue skies and a summers breeze. But, it’s definitely not all bad, new seasons mean new goals. and boy do I have some good ones!

This fall for example, I have decided that I am going to rediscover sweet potatoes. I have never liked them but they look so appealing roasting over coals on the streets of Beijing. Plus, they feel festive somehow and paired with the right spices, they can make even the most dreary fall day seem positively Caribbean! To balance the sweetness in the potatoes, I decided to make duck. It is always lovely paired with something sweet and can usually take pretty sturdy stuff. So, here is my take on:

A pretty sweet duck dish for two

2 duck legs
1 tsp ground cinnamon
a couple whole cloves, crushed in a pestle and mortar
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1/2 large yellow onion, cut into large wedges
2 bay leaves
1 dl dry white wine

2 small-medium sweet potatoes
1 dl whole milk
1/2 dl grated Parmesan (optional, you could use a knob of butter if you like)
a couple of dashes of grated nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Put your oven on 200 degrees Celsius. Mix the spices for the duck. Score the duck fat in a criss cross pattern and rub it generously with the spice mix. Put in baking tray skin side up. Arrange the onion and bay leaves around the duck and bake for 1 hour. After one hour, take out the duck pour in the wine and cook for another 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel and chop your sweet potatoes roughly into large cubes and boil for around 15-20 minutes in generously salted water or until tender. Drain, mash with an electric whisk or a masher, add the milk, Parmesan and spices mix it up again and serve immediately with the duck and a fresh, simple green salad.