Pirate Ship Pork Loin Recipes

BOOZY WATERMELON PIRATE SHIP

Steps:

• Set the watermelon on its side (stem ends facing left and right) and cut off a small flat piece of rind so the watermelon is stable.
• Use the screw top of the rum bottle to trace a circle on the top of the watermelon. Cut out the circle to make a hole exposing the flesh. Tilt the watermelon on its side and press the bottle into the watermelon all the way up to the neck. Turn the watermelon back so the bottle is facing downward. Put the watermelon on a tray and refrigerate until all the rum soaks in, 12 to 24 hours depending on the density of the watermelon.
• To make the ship: Cut off the top half of the watermelon in one piece lengthwise, just above the stem. Use a melon baller to scoop out as many balls as possible from the top and bottom halves of the melon and put them in a large bowl. Scrape the top and bottom halves down to the rind with a spoon. The bottom half of the melon will be your ship.
• Use a paring knife to cut a notch about 1 inch deep and 3 inches wide on each side of the ship. Mark 4 evenly spaced portholes under each notch using an apple corer (don't press all the way through). Use a paring knife to cut out the marked circles.
• Toss the chunks of mango, pineapple and papaya (reserving the slices) with the watermelon balls in the large bowl and fill the boat. (If there is a little fruit salad leftover, use it to refill the boat as your guests eat.)
• To make the sails: Cut the top half of the watermelon in half lengthwise and use the pieces to make sails. From the center most curved sections of the rinds cut out two 3-inch square sails. Cut two 2-inch sails and one 1 1/2-inch sail from the remaining rind pieces. Trim the backs of the sail to make them neat, but leave them thick.
• Thread 3 of the sails onto a 12-inch wood skewer in this order: a 3-inch sail on the bottom, 2-inch sail in the middle and 1 1/2-inch sail on the top. Thread the remaining 2 sails on an 8-inch wood skewer with the largest sail on the bottom. Stick the skewers with the sails into the fruit, putting the 3-sail mast in the back.
• Use a paring knife to cut 4 small flags from the papaya slices. Stick a flag on the top of each skewer mast. Stick 2 toothpicks in the back of the boat and add a flag to each.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.

ROASTED PORK LOIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Crush garlic with rosemary, salt and pepper, making a paste. Pierce meat with a sharp knife in several places and press the garlic paste into the openings. Rub the meat with the remaining garlic mixture and olive oil.
• Place pork loin into oven, turning and basting with pan liquids. Cook until the pork is no longer pink in the center, about 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Remove roast to a platter. Heat the wine in the pan and stir to loosen browned bits of food on the bottom. Serve with pan juices.

PIRATE SHIP CAKE

Steps:

• Cut the cakes in half (like a half moon shape) and layer them, rounded sides all facing the same direction, adding a thin coat of chocolate icing between the layers.
• Trim the bottom curves of the cakes slightly to help them sit flat, then turn the cakes upright.
• Wrap the cakes in plastic and chill in the freezer to make them firmer.
• Tip: Two drinking straws stuck through the four layers of cake will help keep them together.
• Cover with the chocolate icing, then create planking lines along the hull with a butter knife. Chill at least one hour to firm the icing.
• Use dabs of icing to anchor larger wafer stick gunwales along the edge of the deck.
• Press the smaller wafer rolls into both sides of the ship for cannons.
• Cut sails from the paper, then slip them onto the skewers and set the masts in place.
• Add malted milk ball cannonballs, plenty of Rolo gold booty, and root beer barrels, then station a few pirates to keep watch.
• For safety, place the candles in the cookie cannons on the sides of the ship, far from the paper sails.
• Also, make sure that the surface on which the cake rests is impervious to wax, as the burning candles will drip.