You don’t have to spend a fortune when serving up a St Valentine breakfast, but as love can be expressed through the gift of food, it’s worth seeking out fresh local ingredients and making a bit of an effort to get it right.

This recipe is a very simple twist on the classic eggs Benedict, which calls for hollandaise sauce, muffins and grilled bacon.

Should you wish to glamorise this dish even further, hollandaise sauce would pep it up nicely.

YOU WILL NEED Two local free-range eggs One 225g bag baby-leafed spinach Salt to season One heart-shaped pastry cutter.

Method: Wash the spinach leaves in cold running water and place in a saucepan with a small pinch of salt. It will not be necessary to add further water.

Allow the spinach leaves to simmer for a few moments until wilted.

When the spinach is cooked, drain and keep warm while you poach the eggs.

Heat an inch of water in a frying pan. (Do not salt the water as this tends to affect the look of the egg white – sprinkle the egg with salt once it is cooked) When a steady stream of bubbles can be seen rising to the surface of the pan, place the heart-shaped cutter into the water, holding it in place while you break the egg into it.

Place a lid on the pan and cook for two minutes, or until the egg is done.

Place the egg on to the spinach and serve with toast and hollandaise sauce if you want to make a determined effort to serve a really romantic breakfast.