Four recipes from Henry Harris' new cookbook The Racine Effect

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C fan.

2. Cut the tops off the tomatoes and set them aside to use as ‘lids’ later. Carefully scoop out the pulp of the tomatoes, leaving the flesh layer attached to the skin. Keep the pulp.

3. Warm a splash of olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, then gently fry the shallots for 5 minutes, or until translucent and soft. Add the reserved tomato pulp and cook for a further 5 minutes.

4. Add the white wine, bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a roasting tin.

5. Put the sausage meat and veal into a bowl along with the herbs, lemon zest, chilli, garlic, breadcrumbs and crème fraîche. Season with salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning.

6. Season the inside of the scooped-out tomatoes, then stuff them with the meat mixture, filling them to the brim. Place the lids back on top. Put them in the roasting tin with the white wine mixture. Cover tightly with foil and then cook in the oven for 30 minutes.

7. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and increase the oven temperature until you reach 180°C with fan.

8.Cook for a further 10 minutes. If the wine looks as though it will evaporate completely, add a splash of water.

9. Remove the tomatoes from the oven and check that the meat is cooked through. The internal temperature should reach at least 72°C (162°F) when tested with a probe thermometer. Transfer to plates and serve with the pan juices spooned over the top or leave to rest and cool, and then serve warmish.

1. Put the tarragon stalks into a small saucepan along with the vinegar, shallots, peppercorns, mace (if using) and bay leaf. Add a good splash of water, bring to the boil and then simmer until half the liquid has evaporated.

2. Prepare a barbecue with glowing embers. If you are using a kettle-type barbecue, then bank the coals on one side so you can move the meat to the side if needed to avoid burning it or creating too many flames.

3. Season the beef very well. Heat a heavy frying pan over a high heat and add a good splash of oil. Add the steaks and brown until a good crust is starting to develop, then flip them over and do the same again. Repeat this step several times, turning every 2–3 minutes and reducing the heat a little once a crust starts to form, until they have a wonderful browned exterior.

4. Once well browned, remove the pan from the heat and add the butter. It will melt and foam promptly. Using a spoon, baste the two ribs repeatedly.

5. Place the pan back over the heat, reduce the heat and continue to cook the ribs for a further 8–10 minutes. Turn the steaks occasionally and take care not to burn the butter.

6. A probe thermometer can remove any uncertainty: 45°C core temperature for rare and 50–53°C for medium-rare.

7. Remove the steaks from the pan and transfer to a serving platter, then spoon over the pan juices and leave to rest in a warm place for 15–20 minutes.

8. While the meat rests, make béarnaise. Place a heatproof bowl over a pan of boiled water. Add the yolks and vinegar reduction and whisk for 2 minutes until the mixture is a light, pale cream.

9. Meanwhile, melt the butter until piping hot. Pour the butter into the egg yolk mixture drop by drop, increasing the pouring speed once the mixture has emulsified and started to thicken.

10. Keep a kettle of hot water to hand and, should the mixture become too thick or look as if it is about to split, add a splash.

11. Once all the butter has been added and the sauce is completely emulsified, chop the tarragon leaves and stir them into the sauce along with salt and pepper.

12. To serve, slice each rib into six or eight pieces and divide them equally between plates, then garnish with a handful of watercress. The béarnaise is best placed in a bowl on the table.

1. Prepare the frisée by first separating the leaves and discarding the very dark ones, then washing and drying them.

2. Place the leaves in a salad bowl and add the shallot and croutons.

3. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the lardons for 3–5 minutes until they brown but do not become crispy or crunchy.

4. While the bacon is cooking, bring a shallow, wide pan of well-salted water to a gentle simmer to poach the eggs.

5. Time is not on your side at this point, but focus will bring success. Crack each egg and gently slip them into the water, then poach them for about 3 minutes, or until the white is set and the yolk is warm and runny.

6. The moment the eggs are in the water, remove the bacon pan from the heat and pour out the excess rendered fat, then add the mustard dressing and water to the pan and use a spoon or spatula to work everything together. Scrape this out over the frisée salad, toss it together and divide between plates.

7. Use a slotted spoon to lift each egg from the pan and place one on top of each salad. Serve immediately.

Mustard dressing

8. Put the mustard, salt, vinegar and water into a food processor and blend for 30 seconds. Now gradually pour in the vegetable oil in a steady stream while blending until emulsified.

9. Scrape the dressing into a bowl and store until it is needed. As there are no fresh ingredients it keeps for a couple of weeks, after which it will start to lose its punch and astringency.

1. Whisk the wine and sugar together in a bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Add a splash of orange liqueur.

2. Hull the strawberries and halve and then macerate them in the sweetened beaujolais an hour before you want to serve them. After a couple of hours, they start to break down and the pleasure of this dish is lost.

3. To serve, divide the strawberries between all of the bowls and pour the wine over them.