12 Recipes of Christmas: Prawn cocktail with avocado salsa

Go retro with this 1980s-inspired prawn cocktail recipe. Prawn cocktails bring back memories of dining in the local Irish Club.

The simple flavours work so well together. Fresh prawns, iceberg lettuce and a smooth and creamy avocado blend together with that classic cocktail sauce make for a quick and easy (and light) meal.

Serve with finely chopped chives and lemon wedges.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

• 20 fresh cooked tiger prawns
• 1/2 large iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 1 large avocado
• Juice of 1/4 lemon

FOR THE COCKTAIL SAUCE

• 125g whole egg mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp tomato sauce
• 1/4 tsp tabasco sauce
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Method

1. Make sauce by adding all ingredients to a bowl and stirring to combine. Taste and season if needed. Cover sauce and refrigerate.
2. Peel and devein prawns. If you prefer you can leave the tails intact, rather than completely peeling them. Place prawns in a bowl, add half the cocktail sauce and mix to combine.
3. Dice avocado into small pieces and squeeze over the juice of ¼ lemon to prevent oxidisation. Divide lettuce between 4 glasses, add avocado and prawns.
4. Drizzle with remaining cocktail sauce and serve garnished with a sprinkling of fresh chives and a lemon wedge.