Pecking Order on Valentine’s Day!

Just in time for Valentine’s Day comes one of my most favourite sausages in a heart-shape! I have long been a fan of Heck sausages not least because they are lean, full of meat, tasty and from Yorkshire (my old home). Now the sausage makers have cheekily changed their name and created a scrumptious sausage, cut into a cute heart shape, that is just perfect for Valentine’s Day or any other loved-up occasion in February. So I thought I would try them for something of an ultimate full English (perfect for serving on Valentine’s morning or for breakfast-in-bed) and then for something a tad more special (see below). If you can’t access these little darlings then give your Valentine a peck by making your own with good-quality sausagemeat shaped into a heart. Far nicer and more bespoke than any dine-in-deal from a supermarket!

GIVE US A PECK EGGS BENEDICT

Ingredients

METRIC/US

1 medium tomato

sprinkle of dried or fresh oregano

salt and freshly ground black pepper

low-fat cooking spray or mist

2 Peck heart sausages or 2 x 100 g/4 oz home-made sausagemeat patties

2 slices rustic bread

2 medium eggs

2 tbsp hollandaise sauce

METHOD

1. Preheat a grill/broiler to medium.

2. Halve the tomato, season with the oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Lightly spritz with low-fat cooking spray or mist and place under the preheated grill/broiler with the heart-shaped sausages and cook for 18-20 minutes, turning the sausages once halfway through the cooking time.

3. Lightly toast the bread (the bread could be cut into heart-shaped slices with a cutter if liked).

4. Meanwhile, fill a large, shallow pan with water (about 3 cm/1 inch deep) and bring to a simmer. Place two heart-shaped moulds into the water. Add the eggs to the moulds and poach for 2-3 minutes or cooked to your liking. The eggs can of course simply be cooked without the moulds if you don’t have them.

5. Warm the hollandaise sauce in a small pan or heat in the microwave for a few seconds.

6. To serve, place one half of tomato on each piece of toast. Top with the cooked sausage. Place the cooked eggs on top of the sausages and spoon over the sauce to serve.

SERVES 2

WLS PORTION: 1 (with or without the toast)

CALORIES PER PORTION: 457 (with toast); 335 (without)

PROTEIN: 28.8 g; 23.9g

CARBOHYDRATE: 29.5g; 6.2g

FAT: 24.6g; 23.9g

The second recipe is more suitable for a main meal – if you fancy pushing the boat out then the stock/bouillon could be replaced with Champagne or sparkling wine.

WORTH A PECK SAUSAGE WITH ROSTI, SPINACH AND MUSHROOM SAUCE

Ingredients

METRIC/US

2 Peck heart sausages or 2 x 100 g/4 oz home-made sausagemeat patties

low-fat cooking spray or mist

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed (optional)

100 g/1 cup sliced chestnut mushrooms

275 g/11 oz new potatoes, boiled for 5 minutes then grated

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp plain/all-purpose flour

200 ml/generous 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock/bouillon (alternatively use Champagne or sparkling dry white wine)

5 tbsp low-fat creme fraiche

75 g/3 oz fresh spinach leaves

chopped parsley to garnish

METHOD

1. Cook the heart sausages under a preheated medium grill for 18-20 minutes, turning occasionally.

2. Meanwhile, generously a frying pan with low-fat cooking spray or mist , add the onion, garlic and mushrooms and cook for 5-8 minutes until soft.

3. Meanwhile season the grated potato, divide into 2, dust your hands with the flour and bring the potatoes together to make 2 potato cakes. Spritz another pan generously with low-fat cooking spray or mist and fry the potatoes over a medium heat for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally until cooked.

4. Pour the stock/bouillon into the mushroom mixture and increase the heat until the liquid is reduced to one-third.

5. Mix the creme fraiche with seasoning to taste then add to the pan and stir until the mushroom mixture is thickened.

6. Place the spinach in a pan with 1 tbsp boiling water, cover and cook for 1/2-1 minute to wilt.

7. To serve, place each potato rosti on a plate, top with the wilted spinach and the cooked heart sausage. Spoon over the sauce and sprinkle with chopped parsley to serve.

SERVES 2

WLS PORTION: 1/2-1

CALORIES PER PORTION: 425

PROTEIN: 25.8g

CARBOHYDRATE: 45.8g

FAT: 16.2g