MAKES 6 // HANDS-ON 10 min // HANDS-OFF 40 min

INGREDIENTS
100g pecans, roughly chopped
750 ml red wine
60 ml brown sugar
Zest and juice of 1 orange
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
1 star anise
6 pears, peeled, stalks left in
200g blue cheese, crumbled

METHOD
1. Place a potjie on the flames and dry-toast pecans for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Remove from the potjie.
2. Place wine, sugar, orange zest and juice, cinnamon, cloves and star anise in the potjie. Stir to mix and bring to the boil.
3. Add pears, cover and simmer for 40 minutes, until the pears are soft. Turn often, ensuring they have lovely colour all over. Remove and set aside.
4. Bring the sauce to the boil again and reduce until it turns into a syrup. Add more brown sugar, to taste, if necessary.
5. Serve pears with the toasted pecans and a sprinkling of blue cheese, topped with the warm red-wine reduction.