Steaky Bakey Flavor Pockets
with Marbles Chunks
I’ve experimented with all manner of spirituality. I’ve sat in the pews of great churches and taken in the gospels. I’ve stared at walls and thought about not thinking. I’ve smoked cigarettes and read Alan Watts in a moth-eaten turtle neck…But, dear reader, nothing—and I mean nothing—has dissolved my ego faster than biting into one of these ummy yummy steaky bakey pockets…Holy shit they’re good. The buttery, flaky puff pastry. The morsels of gravy-soaked meat so tender they fall apart at the gentlest whisper. All uniting to deliver a sermon of succulence that will shake you from your spiritual slumber. My brothers and sisters—if you, like me, have struggled to find religion, look no further.
Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 Juicy Marbles Loin
1 brown or white onion/2 small shallots (approx. 50g)
2 clove of garlic
1 tbsp olive oil 
1 tsp thyme (fresh or dried)
1 tbsp tomato puree
400 ml vegetable stock 
100 ml red wine 
50 ml coffee 
2 tbsp soy sauce 
2 tbsp mustard
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 
¼ tsp Black pepper
½ tsp Salt 
3 x Store-bough Puff Pastry 
2 tbsp Flour/Cornstarch 
4 tbsp water 

‘’Egg wash’’
2 tbsp neutral oil
2 tbsp maple syrup
4 tbsp unsweetened plant milk 

120 MIN / 12 POCKETS
preparation

1. Finely dice one large onion. Peel and grate or press two garlic cloves.
2. Chop the loin into 2 x 2 cm chunks. Slice the loin into four lengthwise pieces, then cut each piece into four strips, and finally chop each strip into 2 cm-long chunks. Season with salt and pepper.
3. In a jug, combine 400 ml of vegetable stock, 100 ml of red wine, 50 ml of coffee, 2 tbsp of soy sauce, 2 tbsp of mustard, and 1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar.
4. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a pan and cook the chunks in batches for 5–7 minutes. Set aside.
5. In the same pan, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil and add the finely diced onion. Cook for 3–4 minutes, then add the pressed garlic and thyme.
6. After a minute, stir in the tomato puree and cook for another 3–4 minutes.
7. Deglaze the pan with the prepared liquid mixture.
8. Make a slurry by mixing 1 tbsp of cornstarch with 2 tbsp of water. Add it to the pan, stir well, and cook until the sauce thickens. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary.
9. Add the chunks back to the pan and mix well to coat them with the sauce. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
10. Roll out all three puff pastry sheets and cut each into eight equal pieces.
11. Place a generous tablespoon of the filling in the center of half the pastry squares, including some sauce (spoon it at the center to prevent it from spilling over the edges).
12. Take another piece of pastry and gently stretch it in all directions to cover the filling. Carefully place it over the bottom square, aligning the edges. Press the edges together with your fingers. Repeat with the remaining pieces.
13. Seal the edges of the pockets with a fork. For neat, straight edges, trim the pastry with a knife. Place the pockets on a baking sheet, leaving space between them. You can bake in batches for even browning.
14. Preheat the oven to 185°C (fan setting, if possible).
15. Make an “egg wash” by mixing 2 tbsp of neutral oil, 2 tbsp of maple syrup, and 4 tbsp of unsweetened plant milk. Generously brush the pockets with the “egg wash,” ensuring all surfaces are covered.
16. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until golden brown.
17. Remove from the oven and serve immediately for the best results. Handle with care because they’re blazing hot, in every sense of the word.