Alcatra - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 white onions, rough chopped
2 heads garlic
3 small carrots, sliced skin on
4 figs, sliced in half
3 pimenta red peppers, sliced
2 beef shank, cubed with bone
2 -3 lbs beef, neck or 2 -3 lbs chuck, cubed
1 cup smoked bacon, cubed
2 bay leaves
3 star anise
4 ounces pork fat
2 (750 ml) bottles white wine (Verdelho preferred)
salt & pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425\u00b0 F.
In a clay baking pot or heavy Dutch oven, rub the insides well with the lard covering thoroughly. Add the 2 of the onion, garlic, carrots, figs and pimenta peppers to the pot.
Season the beef shank and neck with a liberal amount of salt and pepper and add to the pot. Add the bay leaf, star anise and remaining onions. Mix all ingredients together in the pot.
Fill the pot with wine to cover all ingredients cover with lid or foil.
Place pot in the oven and cook for 4 hours. After 1 1/2 to 2 hours check the pot and add more wine if needed.
Remove from oven and serve with sweet bread.