Well, today is the kickoff to a very big weekend indeed! We have both the third jewel of the Triple Crown, the 139th running of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday and then the not-to-be-missed series finale of the Sopranos on Sunday. So in this 3rd and final entry in my "What to Serve at your Triple Crown Party" series I submit to you my recipe for "Tony Soprano's Belmont Steaks." For those of you who may not have been following this Triple Crown recipe series, we began with a bourbon marinated flank steak recipe for Kentucky Derby followed by the world famous Angelina's crabcake recipe for Preakness.

For Belmont each year at my house, given that the race comes to us live from New York – Long Island's Belmont Park to be exact---we keep the race day menu simple: grilled NY strip steaks. However, for this year's Belmont party we're making a slight change. Instead of the NY strip, we'll be grilling up some delicious ribeyes as tribute to Tony Soprano and Sunday's Sopranos series finale. Sopranos fans will remember the pivotal scene in Dr. Melfi's office in last week's episode when Tony ripped a ribeye steak recipe from a waiting room copy of Departures Magazine. In reading up on this scene on line, I learned that it was no coincidence that David Chase selected "Departures" magazine---an apropos title given the various "departures" that took place in that shocking second to very last episode. Unfortunately, I was unable to locate the actual recipe that caught Tony's eye. I've read some accounts on line that this recipe was for a basque beef marinade. Nevertheless, I submit this other: Tony Soprano's Hot Pepper Ribeye Steaks. You can grill these up for either your Belmont Stakes party on Saturday --- or if you're not into horse racing try them for your Sopranos Series Finale party on Sunday. Also included is the recipe for the official Belmont Stakes cocktail, The Belmont Breeze. I know it' s a let down with no chance for a triple crown again this year....but have fun anyway! Enjoy!!!

Tony Soprano's Hot Pepper Ribeye Steak:

1/2 cup [125 mL] water
2 teaspoons [10 mL] beef broth concentrate powder
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon [15 mL] hot horseradish or 1 dash Tabasco sauce or both
2 tablespoons [30 mL] cornstarch
1/4 cup [60 mL] water
1 teaspoon [5 mL] whole peppercorns
1 rib eye steak

Heat together water and beef broth concentrate powder, until dissolved. Mix in minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce and horseradish or Tabasco sauce, or both. Dilute cornstarch into water; pour into beef broth concentrate mixture, stirring. Heat until thickened to gravy consistency, stirring. Using motor and pestle, crack 3/4th of the peppercorns, reserving remaining peppercorns whole. Add crushed peppercorns to sauce. Grill steak to desired doneness. Serve steak coated with sauce, sprinkled with reserved whole peppercorns.
Source: http://www.therecipebox.com/members/box/meat/mea0256.htm

Belmont Breeze Cocktail:

The Belmont Breeze is the official drink of the Belmont Stakes. Created by New York's premiere beverage authority Dale DeGroff, the profile of the Belmont Breeze comes from the colonial recipe: one of sour, two of sweet, three of strong and four of weak.

1 1/2 ounces of a good American blended whiskey;
3/4 ounces Harveys Bristol Cream Sherry;
1/2 ounce of fresh lemon juice;
1 ounce of simple syrup; OR
(1 ounce of sweet and sour mix may be substituted for the lemon juice and simple syrup);
1 1/2 ounces fresh orange juice;
1 1/2 ounces cranberry juice;
1 ounce 7-Up;
1 ounce Club Soda

Shake first six ingredients with ice, then top with 7-Up and club soda. Garnish with mint sprig and lemon wedge.

Source: http://www.derbypost.com/belmont.html

Belmont Stakes: Race action takes place at Belmont Park, Saturday June 9, 2007. ABC coverage begins at 5pm. Post time is 6:25 PM ET.

Sopranos Series Finale: "Made in America," begins 9pm on HBO, Sunday, June 10, 2007 (running time 61 minutes)