Orange Sailboats

(Above: It may be easier to watch how these are made than reading about how to make them.)

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Sometimes it’s all about the presentation.

And this dish is all that.

Orange sliced in half — Be sure to buy good-looking oranges and clean them up before slicing them.

These orange sailboats are perfect for a summer party, a child’s birthday party, or for any occasion where you want to impress your guests with a minimal amount of work. And they scream: fun!!

I first saw these more than 30 years ago on a trip to San Francisco where Trish and I first ate Dim Sum. These little boats were included on a Dim Sum cart that circled the small restaurant.

Orange halves filled with jello. — Fill the orange halves up to the brim with the liquid orange jello.

Over the years I’ve made them for special occasions, including a pirate-themed birthday party many years ago for my son who was about five or six at the time.

Orange halves, scooped out. — Be careful not to pierce the skin or the liquid jello will run out.

Here are some tips if you decide to make these:

After you slice the orange in half, take a paring knife and carefully cut into the white pith in a circle, trying to get as close as you can to the skin without piercing the orange.
Use a melon baller to scoop out the remaining orange flesh. You can use a teaspoon but it’s more difficult and doesn’t do a clean job.
Buy more oranges than you need because you’re bound to ruin a few by piercing the skin, which will make the liquid jello run out.
Try to fill up the orange halves to the brim. Your quartered slices will look much better without any left-over skin. If you do have some left-over skin, cut if off with a knife.

Jello boat with sail. — You can get the paper sails at a party store.

Here’s the complete recipe:

Orange Sailboats

June 6, 2019

Difficulty: Easy

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Each orange makes four sailboats.

By: Mark Micheli

Ingredients

Oranges
Orange Jello
Paper sails

Directions

Step 1 Cut each orange in half.
Step 2 Take a paring knife and carefully cut into the white pith in a circle, trying to get as close as you can to the skin without piercing the orange.
Step 3 Use a melon baller to scoop out the remaining orange flesh. Again, be careful not to pierce the skin or it won’t hold the liquid jello.
Step 4 Fill each orange half with liquid jello (follow directions on jello box to make the jello).
Step 5 Refrigerate for four hours (according to jello directions).
Step 6 Remove from fridge and cut each orange half, in half to make a quarter. Stick a paper sail in each quarter.