1 English cucumber
Salt
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 packet Knox unflavored gelatin
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons chicken broth
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
Freshly ground pepper
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 lemon, juice only
1. Peel the cucumber, and cut it in half lengthways. Remove the seeds, and cut the flesh into ¼-inch dice. Place in a colander, and sprinkle lightly with salt to taste. Leave for 1 hour to allow the salt to draw the liquid out of the cucumber. Squeeze the cucumber in a towel to extract any additional moisture.
2. In a mixing bowl or electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and the mayonnaise until the mixture is smooth. In a small saucepan, combine the gelatin with the chicken broth, and heat until the gelatin dissolves. Whisk the warm gelatin into the cream cheese mixture. Fold in the cucumber and chopped mint. Taste and adjust the salt and ground pepper to taste. Set aside until the mixture begins to thicken, about 30 minutes.
3. Whip the heavy cream into soft peaks (do not overbeat), and fold it gently into the thickened cucumber mixture. Add the lemon juice and stir gently. Pour the mousse into a terrine, ramekins, or a china soufflé dish, and refrigerate until firm. Decorate the top with thinly sliced, peeled cucumber halves. Serve with a green salad and chive cream dressing.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS