FOOD:MANY THANKS TO those of you who e-mailed about the bambina. And I apologise to those who feel I should have mentioned it before now, but like I said: recipes from knocked-up ladies run the risk of being a bit dodgy. I am also convinced that reading about babies in a recipe column would be very boring for most.

Luckily, I didn’t suffer from any weird cravings and, yes, I avoided burgers that weren’t cooked through. Again, I will reiterate that I’m certainly not in a position to guide or lecture anyone on what to do during pregnancy, as I think it’s such a personal thing. Get plenty of information and then listen to your own instincts.

I believe (maybe stupidly) that half a glass of decent red wine is of some health benefit and won’t result in foetal alcohol syndrome. But most of the websites and information sources seem to imply that the experts don’t know if even a small amount of alcohol is harmful, so best to be safe and avoid it all together. Is it snobbery that says all measures of alcohol are not equal when you’re talking about units? For example, is a glass of red wine the same as a Red Bull and vodka? I would argue that the two can’t be compared, but maybe alcohol is alcohol, end of story. Certainly the scientists say that it’s best to avoid all alcohol both before and during pregnancy. I know that the parents of plenty of my peers smoked and drank their way through their pregnancies and we’re all fine (for the most part), whereas nowadays there’s a long list of things to avoid: peanuts, pâtés, deep-sea fish, unpasteurised cheese and all alcohol.

There was a time when women smoked during pregnancy and no one made too much noise about it. It was also thought that by sitting in the back seat of a car, you didn’t have to wear a seat belt. Thankfully, we all know better now (or at least we should). We know not to litter, that smoking is never good for you, that you should always wear sunscreen, and consume everything in moderation. But when you get to the small print you realise that the devil is in the detail. Even when you try to live by simple rules, you open up a Pandora’s Box of extra terms and conditions. Car seat? Check. But, chances are, you’ve installed it incorrectly. Eating your five a day? Check. But now you run the risk of getting salmonella, listeria and E.coli if fruit and veg have not been washed properly. It’s at times like this that you begin to suspect that with each step of good you try to take, there is something waiting to bite you in the backside. So, I recommend a little knowledge and everything in moderation. It helps to keep you happier and saner.

Goats’ cheese croutes with figs and walnuts

Serves four

400g goats’ cheese from a large log

100g walnuts, roughly chopped

200g dried figs, finely diced

100ml balsamic vinegar

Few sprigs of thyme or rosemary

4 tbsp runny honey

Bunch of lettuce

Slice the goats’ cheese into four 100g slices. Alternatively, you could use little individual rounds of cheese. Put the slices of cheese on to a baking tray that you have lined with tinfoil and that can go under your grill. Heat the walnuts in a hot oven for five minutes to toast them slightly. You can also dry-roast them in a frying pan for a few minutes, but be careful – they burn quickly and need to be kept moving. Roughly chop the walnuts when they have cooled down. Place them in a saucepan with the figs, balsamic vinegar, herbs and about 50ml of water, and cook over a gentle heat until the mixture is quite dry and the vinegar has turned a bit syrupy.

Allow to cool and taste – season with salt and pepper if necessary, or a little sugar. When you are ready to serve, heat up the grill, drizzle the honey over the goats’ cheese, and grill until bubbling and golden brown. The honey will give it a lovely sweetness and help it brown very quickly. Place the goats’ cheese on plates with some mixed leaves, spoon some of the fig and walnuts on top and serve.

Potato cakes with capers and smoked salmon

Serves four

500g potatoes

1 tbs capers, drained and rinsed

Small bunch of dill, finely chopped

Small bunch of parsley, finely chopped

Squeeze of lemon juice

50g butter

2 red onions, peeled and finely chopped

1 tsp caster sugar

Salt and black pepper

1 egg, beaten

60g white flour

50ml olive oil (approximately)

4-8 slices of smoked salmon

4 tbsp sour cream mixed with some chopped chives

Extra slices of red onion, lemon wedges and capers to garnish

Peel the potatoes, place them in cold water and simmer gently for about 10-15 minutes, until tender. Drain and then put them back in the saucepan, with a tea towel on top. This helps to dry them out. Then mash, and mix with the capers, herbs, lemon juice.

Melt the butter and fry the onions for a couple of minutes, then add the sugar and season with plenty of pepper – but go easy on the salt as the capers are very salty. Add the onions to the potatoes, mix well and check the seasoning. Add the egg and then shape into four large patties. If the mixture is too dry, add a little melted butter or sour cream. Allow to cool, and then refrigerate for an hour, or overnight.

To cook: heat the olive oil in a large, non-stick frying pan. Dust the potato cakes lightly with flour. Fry the cakes over a medium heat on both sides until golden brown. Transfer to a roasting tray or gratin dish and cover with tinfoil. They will be fine in the oven for up to 30 minutes at 150 degrees/gas mark two. Serve with slices of smoked salmon, the sour cream with chives, and other garnishes. dkemp@irishtimes.com

See also www.itsa.ie