Carved Watermelon Bowl Recipes

Steps:

• To carve melon bowl, cut off top 1/4 of melon. Being careful not to cut through to melon, cut thin slice from bottom of melon so it will sit flat. Scoop out watermelon, leaving 1/2- to 1-inch-thick shell.
• Carve watermelon as shown in steps on right. Wrap melon bowl in plastic wrap to keep moist; refrigerate until ready to fill. At serving time, fill with cut-up fruit.

Steps:

• Set the watermelon on its side (stem end facing left or right) and cut off a small flat piece of rind from the bottom so the watermelon is stable.
• Use masking tape to mark off a 6-by-7-inch rectangle on top of the watermelon (with 7 inches running along the length of the watermelon and 6 inches running along the width), slightly off center and a little toward one end of the watermelon (which will be the rear end of the pig). Use the tape as a guide to cut out the top of the watermelon. Reserve the cut piece. Scoop out 4 cups of watermelon balls using a melon baller. Remove the remaining watermelon flesh and save for another use.
• To make the nose: Remove most but not all of the flesh from the reserved piece (there should still be pink showing). Use a 2-inch round cutter to cut a nose piece out of the very center. Trim away any ragged flesh to make a flat pink nose. Cut 2 small spaces in the center with a paring knife and press a raisin into each for nostrils. Cut a thin slice from the front of the watermelon to make a flat space for the nose. Attach the nose with 2 toothpicks.
• To make the feet: Cut the reserved piece of rind in half, right through the space used to make the nose. There will be an arch on each piece, where the nose was cut out. Cut each of these pieces in half, about 1/2 inch above the arch (reserve the pieces without the arch). Cut off the rind from both sides of the arch on each piece, slanting in toward the arch to make 4 feet total. Put the feet under the sides of the pig so they're cradling his belly.
• To make the ears: From the remaining pieces, cut 2 triangles for ears, following the curve of the rind so the ears flop naturally. Attach the ears with toothpicks to the top of the watermelon on either side of the cavity, with the pink side facing forward.
• To make the eyes: Use an apple corer to cut 2 rounds from the remaining scraps. Slice off the pink flesh to create 2 small white circles. Carve a space in the center of each circle (but don't go all the way through) and press a raisin in each for eyes. Attach the eyes with toothpicks.
• To make the tail: Use a paring knife to cut a thin strip of green rind 2 to 3 inches long and about 1/4 inch wide. Twirl the piece tightly about the handle of a spoon or a pen and secure with a rubber band to allow the tail to curl; let sit about 15 minutes.
• Toss the watermelon balls, raspberries, plums and peaches in a large bowl. Add the honey and lemon juice and toss well to coat. Spoon the fruit into the pig. Carve a small niche in the back of the pig that will fit the tail. Unwrap the curly tail and insert it into the space. Refrigerate the pig until ready to serve.

Steps:

• Wash and dry all the fruit.
• With a large veggie peeler/melon carver cut the top third of the watermelon off making a decorative edge of either scallops or peaks. (I wish I had premium so I could post pix). When I was a kid I drew my decorative edge on the melon and carved it with a boning knife but it is faster and easier if you get a tool designed for carving. Scoop the melon out with a small cookie scoop and set aside.
• Cut the cantaloupe into 8ths and cut the rind off. With the french fry blade of your food processor, shred the cantaloupe and set aside. I learned this from Greg Patton host of Pattonly Cooking sponsored by Cuisinart.
• Cut the honeydew in half and seed it. With a melon baller make itty bitty balls and set aside. You can cheat and slice this in your food processer on the thickest blade.
• Cut the pineapple into 8ths and core it. Cut into chunks and set aside.
• Mix melons and pineapples together in a large bowl.
• Quarter the strawberries and mix with the remaining berries and grapes. Do not mix in the raspberries or they will be pulverized.
• Layer the fruits in the watermelon basket, first a layer of the melons and pineapple, then the berries then some raspberries. Save most of the raspberries for the top layer. Continue layering until your melon basket is full and save the remaining fruit in a baggie so you can re-fill the melon basket.
• That's all there is to it! You can carve handles on your basket or leave it open which works better on a buffet as it is easier to access the fruit.
• To make it extra fancy whip up an egg white and dip clusters of grapes in it, then roll in superfine sugar and let dry on waxed paper. Secure the little grape clusters in the edging of the melon basket with a toothpick. I did this for my mother once when she had her lady friends over and it really wowed them as a centerpiece.
• Hope you try this! Have fun doing it with your kids.