Jorge Thomas, Founder of Swaledale Butchers, introduces the collaboration
"Great friend of Swaledale, Henry Harris, has launched a new cookbook. It will come as no surprise to hear that it is a joy. The Racine Effect is a masterclass in unfussy, utterly delicious French food, rising reassuringly above fad and fashion to focus on recipes Henry clearly loves to cook, both at home and professionally. And Henry does clearly love to cook. As an avid cookbook collector, I can say that in the pages of this book, as much as any other I own, that passion could not be clearer.

When my copy arrived, I flicked through the pages and immediately wanted to cook, and eat, every recipe. It is the same feeling I get scanning Henry’s menus at Bouchon Racine, his celebrated restaurant above The Three Compasses in Farringdon. Lamb chops with anchovy toast, filet au poivre, poulet rôti à l’estragon, merguez-frites baguettes. Yes please.

Which leads neatly to this long-awaited collaboration, created in celebration of The Racine Effect and met with real excitement by the team at Swaledale. Our lamb merguez has long been a staple at The Three Compasses, piled into a baguette with harissa aïoli and frites. A snack so delicious it has never left the menu.

It is a combination Henry discovered by chance. Early one morning at Rungis market in Paris, feeling somewhat jaded, he reached for the restorative qualities of a merguez-frites baguette with aïoli. The merguez lacked punch, a detail Henry corrected with a generous dab of harissa, and so one of the most delicious baguettes imaginable was born.

Included with each pack are six lamb merguez sausages and a 75g pot of harissa aïoli. Pair with a baguette, frites, or ideally both, and crack open a small bottle of chilled French beer. Life does not get much better."