A typical Dutch meal consists of a combination of potatoes, vegetables and meat, sometimes served as a hash. Curly kale hash is a very popular example of this. Another Dutch speciality is pea soup: a thick soup made from peas, served with buttered dark rye bread and smoked bacon. Cauliflower, tomatoes and cucumbers are three of the most popular vegetables, but the list is much more diverse than that and includes many leafy vegetables, different cabbage types and other glasshouse fruit crops. It is no wonder, then, that Dutch cuisine is very open to outside influences. Its colonial past means that many dishes have their origins in the Dutch East Indies or Suriname and dishes or ingredients from other cuisines have been adopted as well.

Separate the lettuce leaves from the core. Wash and spin the leaves and divide them over 4 plates or shallow bowls. Remove the skin of the avocados and cut them lengthwise in long slices. Divide the avocado slices over the lettuce leaves and dress them lightly with a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice and some sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

For the sauce mix the mayonnaise, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and whisky until light and pink. Taste and add a little lemon juice for a fresh touch. Divide the shrimps over the avocado lettuce mixture and gently spoon the cocktail sauce over it. Give them a dash of cayenne pepper. Serve with a lemon wedge and a thick slice of rustic country bread.