Individual Tomato Aspics

Ingredients

• 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained
• 4 stalks celery with leaves, cut in half
• 3 tablespoons chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 3 envelopes unflavored gelatin
• 1 (24-ounce) can vegetable cocktail juice, divided
• 1 (8-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
• 1 hard-cooked egg, chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped pimiento-stuffed olives
• Lettuce leaves
• Mayonnaise

Preparation

1. Combine tomatoes, celery stalks, onion, lemon juice, bay leaf, salt, and paprika in a large, heavy saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat 15 minutes. Strain mixture, reserving tomato juice and discarding vegetables and bay leaf. Return tomato juice to saucepan.
2. Dissolve gelatin in 1/2 cup vegetable cocktail juice, stirring well. Add gelatin mixture to tomato juice in saucepan. Add additional vegetable cocktail juice to yield 4 cups. Chill until mixture reaches the consistency of unbeaten egg whites.
3. Fold in artichoke hearts, water chestnuts, egg, celery, green pepper, and olives. Pour mixture evenly into 8 lightly oiled 1/2-cup heart-shaped molds. Refrigerate until firm.
4. Unmold aspics onto individual lettuce-lined salad plates; garnish each with a dollop of mayonnaise.