Food · A Very Long Lunch

A VERY LONG LUNCH PRESENTS

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Everything on the table for Simon's 40th — tap a dish for the full recipe, scaled for 30. Or jump straight to what's safe for Tom and Paddy, or what's on the kids' table.

🌱 FOR TOM (VEGAN) 🛡️ FOR PADDY (ALLERGIES) 🧒 FOR THE KIDS

Feta & Spinach Triangles

Feta, spinach & filo, no eggs

🌱 Tom: no🛡️ Paddy: yes

With bacon and eggs

🌱 Tom: no🛡️ Paddy: no

Hot Cheese Puffs

Two batches — vegetarian and with bacon

🌱 Tom: no🛡️ Paddy: no

Icky Sticky Pudding with Caramel Sauce

With caramel sauce

🌱 Tom: no🛡️ Paddy: no

Meringue, cream, fruit

🌱 Tom: no🛡️ Paddy: no

Build-your-own, with housemade herb cream cheese

🌱 Tom: partial🛡️ Paddy: partial

Crispy Chickpea & Pearl Couscous Salad

Roasted chickpeas, capsicum & red onion, crispy couscous, tahini dressing

🌱 Tom: yes🛡️ Paddy: no

Simple Green Salad

The palate-cleanser of the spread

🌱 Tom: partial🛡️ Paddy: partial

Four or five, well chosen

🌱 Tom: no🛡️ Paddy: partial

Marinated Olives

🌱 Tom: yes🛡️ Paddy: yes

Melon & Feta Checkerboard

Straight from the reel — barely a recipe

🌱 Tom: no🛡️ Paddy: no

Mini Tomato Tarte Tatin with Burrata

Best served slightly warm, with a glass of rosé

🌱 Tom: no🛡️ Paddy: no

Beetroot & Goat Cheese Tart

Whipped goat cheese, beetroot, toasted spices

🌱 Tom: no🛡️ Paddy: no

Bread & Nice Salted Butter

Whipped honey butter, five minutes

🌱 Tom: partial🛡️ Paddy: partial

Vegetarian Sausage Rolls

Lentil, carrot & cheese — from Relish Mama

🌱 Tom: no🛡️ Paddy: no

Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Garlic-Herb Oil

Hot, hearty, no egg-based aioli in sight

🌱 Tom: yes🛡️ Paddy: yes

🧒 For the Kids

Six kids, aged 5–10. Easy, low-effort food that actually gets eaten — separate from the grown-ups' table.

The classic — non-negotiable

Bite-sized and already a hit

Party Pies & Mini Sausage Rolls

Zero prep beyond the oven

Veggie Sticks & Dip

Something that isn't beige

Plain is the one that gets eaten

Cheese & Crackers

Their own little board

Keeps hands busy

Watermelon Wedges

Already on the shopping list

Make-ahead, no last-minute effort

🌱 For Tom — safe to eat

Tom's vegan. These are safe as written, or safe with a quick swap noted below — tap through for the full recipe.

The pickled veg is vegan — skip the cream cheese and the salmon. Not much else here for Tom; the marinated olives and smashed potatoes are good vegan options elsewhere on the menu.

Crispy Chickpea & Pearl Couscous Salad

Fully vegan — every element of this dish is safe as written.

Simple Green Salad

Swap the honey in the dressing for maple syrup or agave and it's fully vegan.

Marinated Olives

Safe as written.

Bread & Nice Salted Butter

The bread is likely fine (check for dairy or egg enrichment) — the whipped butter itself isn't vegan, so skip that part.

Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Garlic-Herb Oil

Safe as written.

🛡️ For Paddy — safe to eat

Paddy's allergic to eggs, seafood, nuts, sesame, poppy seeds and mustard seeds. These are safe as written, or safe with a quick swap noted below.

Feta & Spinach Triangles

The bagels are seeded, so use the plain baguette instead. Skip the salmon (seafood) — the cream cheese, cucumber, capers and pickled onion are all fine.

Simple Green Salad

The dressing has Dijon mustard — make a mustard-free batch instead (just lemon, olive oil, garlic and honey).

The cheeses themselves are fine — just leave off the mixed nuts, and double-check any crackers for sesame.

Marinated Olives

Safe as written.

Bread & Nice Salted Butter

The butter is completely safe — just choose a plain loaf without a poppy or sesame seed crust.

Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Garlic-Herb Oil

Safe as written.