Gelled Tomato, Basil and Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad
This is a wonderful chilled salad to go with meat dishes such as pork or beef, or as part of a summer salad or barbeque plate. It tastes only slightly sweet, and is like a retro version of tomatoes and basil with a raspberry vinaigrette. It has great flavour. You can make this a day (or several days) ahead. It's also very healthy.
Measure out 2 cups (500 ml) of canned diced tomatoes, including juice into a saucepan. Stir in the vinegar and the dried basil, then the raspberry gelatin powder.
Heat on the stove for about 5 minutes, and make sure the gelatin powder has all dissolved during this time.
Remove from heat, cool a bit, then season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir in the celery. Turn into a 2 cup (500 ml) gelled salad mould sprayed with cooking spray. Chill until set -- about 5 hours.
To remove from mould, set mould in a pan of hot (not boiling) water for 5 to 10 seconds, being careful not to let the water flood into the mould. Then, remove from water, and using moistened finger tips gently pull the gelatin away from the sides a bit to help break the vacuum seal along the sides and at the bottom. Then place a plate on top and invert. If it won't come out, then resort to a knife to let more air further down into the mould at the sides.
Notes
In season, it is nice to use fresh basil instead of dried. Use about ⅓ cup lightly packed (5 g) of chopped, fresh basil leaves, and add them when you add the celery.You could also use home-stewed diced tomatoes. If you don't have a suitable gelled salad mould, use a bowl that will hold about 2 cups (500 ml.)We used a commercial salt substitute instead of salt in order to lower the added sodium; we also used sodium-free canned tomatoes.