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Fourth of July: Watermelon Punch

Source of Recipe


From "What's Cooking at the Blue Bonnet Café"



List of Ingredients



• 1 (14-pound) watermelon
  
• 2 pints strawberries, hulled
  
• ½ cup sugar
  
• 1 (12-ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
  
• 2 cups vodka (optional)
  
• Fresh mint leaves for garnish
  






Instructions



1. Sketch basket design on watermelon. It might be necessary to cut a thin slice from the bottom so the melon stands upright. Carve melon with a long, thin knife.
   
   
2. Remove melon pulp with ice cream scoop. Process pulp in batches in food processor or blender until smooth and strain through sieve into large bowl, until juice measures 7 cups. (Reserve remaining pulp for another use.)
   
   
3. Blend 1½ pints strawberries with sugar until smooth, about 10 seconds. Stir strawberry purée, lemonade concentrate, and vodka (if using) into watermelon juice. Refrigerate. Just before serving, fill melon cavity with some of the punch. Slice remaining ½ pint of strawberries; float atop punch. Garnish with mint leaves. Refill basket as needed.
   
   Makes about 2½ quarts.