How to Carve a Papaya Basket

Choose a just-ripe papaya so it is firm enough to create a strong vessel.

Many chefs say "we eat with our eyes first," so why not create a stunning papaya basket for presenting an otherwise typical fruit salad? With very little effort, really only a couple of knife cuts, you can make a papaya basket to serve as a centerpiece or create one as a serving dish for each of your dinner party guests. The presentation will be perfect whether you are filling them with chilled papaya soup, salad with papaya vinaigrette or fruit salad with a hint of vanilla extract. Does this Spark an idea?

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Ripe papaya
Sharp knife
Sharp spoon
Two toothpicks

Instructions

Papaya Basket Base
- 1
  
  Choose a papaya that is just-ripe so the flesh is still somewhat firm and the skin is mostly yellow. Look for a symmetrical fruit with clean smooth skin.
- 2
  
  Cut your papaya in half lengthwise, splitting the entire fruit open.
- 3
  
  Remove the seeds with a spoon by scraping them out and leaving the flesh intact.
- 4
  
  Carve out the flesh from one half of the papaya. Use a spoon with a sharp edge to remove the fruit from the entire inside of the papaya half, leaving about 1/2 inch of thickness that will become the walls of your papaya basket base.
- 5
  
  Set aside the papaya basket base
Papaya Basket Handle
- 6
  
  Lay the other papaya half cut-side-down on your cutting board.
- 7
  
  Cut the papaya into three width-wise pieces with the two end pieces being the same width and the middle piece being about 1 1/2 inches wide. The middle piece will become your basket handle.
- 8
  
  Lay your papaya basket handle piece on its cut side, and trim the fruit so the handle is approximately 1/2-inch thick.
- 9
  
  Insert a toothpick half way into each flat end of the papaya basket handle.
Putting It Together
- 10
  
  Place your papaya basket base in front of you.
- 11
  
  Align the papaya basket handle where you would like to place it on the basket base, trying to center the handle ends on the middle of the basket base sides, essentially re-attaching the piece to where it was initially removed from.
- 12
  
  Push the handle down gently, inserting the toothpicks into the papaya basket base, and attach the papaya basket handle. Fill with whatever you like, and serve.

Tips & Warnings

Save the papaya seeds to use in a salad dressing or marinade. They have a peppery taste and contain enzymes that will tenderize meat.
The basket is for decorative food presentation only. Do not try and lift the basket by the handle.