1 1/2 cups tomato juice
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
8 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)
1/2 cup whipped cream
1 bay leaf
1 finely diced carrot
1 finely diced small onion
1 finely diced red pepper
1 finely diced tomato
1 finely diced stalk of celery
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
Heat 3/4 cup of the tomato juice with bay leaf and half of the onion. Strain over gelatin mixed with 1/4 cup of cold juice. Reserve. Blend cream cheese with last 1/2 cup of tomato juice until there are no more lumps. Mix in vegetables, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Mix juice with reserved gelatin. (If it has gotten stiff, gently heat it on the stove to soften.) Fold in whipped cream. Pour mixture into individual molds, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to let gelatin set. Garnish with hard boiled eggs and red onions. Serve with crostini.
