Fruit Salad Basket

By Hklbrries

Make the fruit salad portion up to 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Easy substitute: Kiwifruit, peeled and cut into quarters, makes a delicious substitute for the berries in this recipe.

Simple elegance: Offer this fruit salad as a tasty dessert. Serve it, without the melon basket, in small crystal bowls. Top with a small amount of lemon sorbet and garnish with a sprig of mint.

Ingredients

• Special Aids:
• 1 large watermelon (about 15 lbs)
• 2 cantaloupe melons
• 2 honeydew melons
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp orange-flavored liqueur, optional
• 2 tsp grated lime peel
• 3 cups fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and halved
• 2 cups lack or red seedless grapes, washed and halved
• Water-soluble marker
• Melon baller
• Vegetable peeler

Preparation

Step 1

Carving the basket: Lay a dampened dish towel on a counter or table and place melon on top to prevent it from rolling.

With a water-soluble marker, draw outline of basket onto melon, making sure the handle is at least 1 1/4 inches wide.

Using a sharp knife, carefully cut melon along marker line.

Remove excess rind and set aside. With a melon baller, scoop out all the watermelon flesh and place in a large glass or ceramic bowl; set aside.

With a vegetable peeler, even out scalloped edges of watermelon. Cover watermelon basket with clear plastic wrap and set aside.


Making the fruit salad: With a melon baller, scoop out flesh from cantaloupes and honeydews.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, lime juice, lemon juice, and lime peel. Stir well.

Add all melon balls, strawberries, and grapes; toss to combine. Allow fruit to chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Just before serving, transfer fruit salad to watermelon basket.