• An ideal dessert to round off a leisurely lunch or dinner.

    Pears in merlot with dukkah

    Serves: 6
    Cooking Time: 40 mins

    Ingredients

    • 400ml good-quality merlot
    • 200g sugar
    • juice and zest of 1 medium orange
    • 1 cinnamon stick
    • 6 firm pears, peeled, with stalks intact
    • 100g mascarpone, to serve, optional
    • Dukkah

    • 250g hazelnuts
    • 100g sesame seeds
    • 5ml ground cumin
    • 5ml coriander seeds
    • 2,5ml coarse black pepper
    • 2,5ml coarse salt

    Instructions

    1

    Select a medium-sized pot that will accommodate all the pears across its base.

    2

    Heat the wine with the sugar, orange zest and cinnamon, stirring on medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.

    3

    Add the pears, put the lid on and increase the heat. Turn the pears in the liquid so that they become evenly coloured by the wine and are still firm, about 20 minutes.

    4

    Remove the lid and reduce the sauce until it thickens. It should produce about 125ml liquid.

    5

    Make the dukkah by combining the ingredients in a food processor. Blitz at high speed. The dukkah should have a coarse texture.

    6

    To serve, ladle syrup over each pear, and sprinkle with dukkah and a dollop of mascarpone.