Carved Watermelon Bowl Recipes

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:

• Cut off the stem end of the watermelon at an angle slightly less than 45 degrees. Reserve the piece. Set the watermelon cut-side down on a work surface.
• To make the jaws and teeth: Find the brown dot that grows at the top center of the watermelon. Measure about 1 inch down and cut a large wedge from the side to make the gaping jaws of the shark. Reserve the wedge.
• Cut a 1-inch-wide strip of paper. Use the paper as a guide to lightly draw a 1-inch line at the top and bottom of the shark's jaws with a pen or marker. Use a Y-shaped vegetable peeler and a paring knife to trim away the green and make 2 bands of white, taking care not to poke all the way through. Cut and scoop out the watermelon flesh, keeping the pieces as large as possible. Leave about an inch or so of flesh in the bottom of the mouth to act as a bowl to hold the fruit. Use a paring knife to cut triangles out of the white bands along the jaw to make teeth.
• To make the fin: Cut out a 3 1/2-inch-high fin from the reserved bottom piece of watermelon. Cut off the flesh so one side is white and the other is green. Attach the fin with 2 toothpicks about 2 to 3 inches up from the bottom of the watermelon. (Tip: Use a small meat mallet to gently hammer in the toothpicks if the watermelon is very hard.)
• To make the eyes: Cut 2 eye-shaped ovals, about 3 inches long and 2 inches high, out of paper. Toothpick them to the shark about 2 inches up from the fin and about 3 inches apart. Lightly trace around the outside of the paper with a pen or marker, then remove the paper. Use a paring knife to cut out the rind on the inside of the eyes, taking care to cut only into the white of the rind without exposing the flesh. Cut 2 strips of the rind to create menacing eyebrows. Attach a blueberry with a toothpick towards the front of each eye. Stick a second toothpick above each eye to attach the eyebrow.
• Cut any large pieces of reserved watermelon flesh into planks and use the cutters to make fish. Peel the cantaloupe and honeydew and slice down the sides of the melon until you get to the seeds to make planks. Cut into more fish. Save any melon scraps for another use.
• Set the shark on a large serving platter. Pour the remaining berries into his mouth. Add fish to the mouth and spilling onto the platter around the shark. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Steps:

• With a large, sharp knife, remove the top 1/4 section of the watermelon. With a melon baller, scoop flesh from inside of watermelon, removing as many seeds as possible. Leave 1/2 inch of flesh inside the shell of the watermelon. Scoop cantaloupe and honeydew in the same manner, removing as much flesh as possible, and discarding the rinds. Refrigerate fruits separately until ready to assemble.
• In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring water and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat, and continue stirring until sugar has completely dissolved. Add lemon zest, and set aside to cool.
• To serve, place watermelon balls, cantaloupe, honeydew, oranges, pineapple, strawberries, and grapes, in a large mixing bowl. Pour syrup over, and toss thoroughly. Transfer mixture to watermelon bowl, and serve. Set aside any fruit mixture that will not fit. There will be enough fruit to refill the bowl.