01 Nov 2024

Try Judi Love’s recipes and enjoy a taste of the Mediterranean at home

Judi Love with a meal made on her Emerald Azzurra culinary cruise Judi Love with a meal made on her Emerald Azzurra culinary cruise

Recreate the delicious dishes from ‘Judi Love’s Culinary Cruise’

Judi Love recently joined us on board our luxury yacht, Emerald Azzurra, for a gastronomic adventure around the Mediterranean and Adriatic coast. While filming for a brand new five-part television series called 'Judi Love’s Culinary Cruise'. the comedian and ITV presenter travelled to various incredible destinations as part of our 'Mediterranean Enchantment' itinerary. 
 
Each of the five episodes sees Judi immersing herself in the unique culture of the places she visits before taking locally sourced ingredients back to the ship to cook dishes inspired by her new friends and experiences – often infusing traditional recipes with her own signature twist.  
 
Read on to discover how to recreate the five delicious dishes Judi whips up on board yourself and enjoy a taste of the Mediterranean at home… 
Mussels disk cooked on judi's culinary cruise Mussels disk cooked on judi's culinary cruise


Mussels in a fennel and white wine sauce

Judi’s culinary tour starts in Montenegro’s walled town Kotor, where she visits one of the region’s oldest oyster and mussel farms. After spending the day with owner Luka and coming away with fresh seafood, Judi returns to the deck of the yacht to cook mussels in a fennel and white wine sauce. 

Ingredients (serves two): 
1kg mussels  
200ml white wine  
60g butter  
1 tbsp olive oil  
3 banana shallots, finely chopped  
2 cloves garlic, grated  
½ fennel bulb, finely diced  
1 tsp mild curry powder  
200ml double cream  
Salt and freshly ground pepper  
Fresh dill, finely chopped to garnish  
Crusty bread to serve  

Method: 
Step 1: Wash the mussels in a colander under cold running water and de-beard them. Place a large saucepan with a tight- fitting lid over a high heat to heat up.  
Step 2: Add the mussels to the hot pan, pour in the wine and put the lid on. Steam over a medium-high heat for 6–8 minutes until all the mussels are opened; discard any that stay closed.  
Step 3: Drain the mussels in a muslin-lined colander over a bowl to strain and collect the liquor to use later.  
Step 4: Put the saucepan back over a medium heat and add the butter and olive oil. Once the butter is foaming, add the shallots and cook for a few minutes until it starts to soften. Add the garlic and fennel and cook for a further 2–3 minutes. Sprinkle in the curry powder and cook, stirring frequently for 1 minute.  
Step 5: Pour the reserved mussel cooking liquor onto the vegetables and let it bubble until it has reduced by half. Add the cream and simmer for another 2-3 minutes or until the sauce is lightly thickened. Taste to check the seasoning and adjust as necessary.  
Step 6: Add the mussels back to the pan and stir until they are well coated in the sauce. Warm through for a few minutes then remove from the heat.  
Step 7: Spoon the mussels and sauce into warm shallow bowls and sprinkle with some fresh dill. Serve with some crusty bread to mop up the delicious creamy curry sauce. 
 
Lamb on the bone on top of a bed of rice Lamb on the bone on top of a bed of rice


Spicy lamb chops with saffron rice and a yoghurt and cucumber dressing

Episode two sees Judi travels to the lush Greek island of Corfu, where she creates a mouthwatering dish of spicy lamb chops with saffron rice and yoghurt and cucumber dressing.

Ingredients (serves two): 

Lamb Mint Yoghurt Saffron Rice
6 lamb chops, bones French-trimmed  
2 tbsp light olive oil  
½ tsp ground cumin  
½ tsp paprika 
1 tsp all-purpose seasoning  
¼ tsp ground allspice  
1 long red chilli, finely chopped  
40g butter  
1 tbsp honey  
Lemon wedges to serve   
200g Greek yoghurt  
1 small cucumber, deseeded & finely diced  
1 small garlic clove, finely grated  
2 tbsp mint, finely chopped  
Juice of ½ lemon  




 
1 tbsp olive oil  
20g butter  
1 clove garlic, finely chopped  
300g long grain rice  
1 small pinch saffron or ½ tsp ground turmeric (optional)  
600ml chicken stock 



 

 

Method: 

Step 1: Lay the lamb chops out onto a tray. Drizzle half the olive oil over the lamb chops and rub it well onto both sides of the lamb. Sprinkle both sides of the lamb with salt and pepper. Mix all the spices together in a bowl and sprinkle this over both sides of the lamb also. Leave this to marinade for 15 minutes. 
Step 2:
Place a medium sauté pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil and butter to the pan. Once the butter is foaming, add the garlic and stir well for 1 minute before adding in the rice. Stir the rice grains in the pan for 1 minute and then add in the saffron and stock. Bring the mixture up to a simmer and season the rice with a little salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and pop a lid on the pan and cook for 15 minutes on a low heat until all the liquid is absorbed. Set the pan aside for a further 10 minutes with the lid left on. 
Step 3:
Mix the yoghurt, cucumber, garlic, mint and lemon juice. Season with a little salt and set aside.  
Step 4:
Grab a large non-stick frying pan and place over a medium heat. Add the remaining oil to the pan. Make sure to place the lambs chops in fat side down first for a few minutes to render out some fat and get it crispy. Then cook them on each side for around 2-3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add in the chilli and butter. Stir well until the butter has melted. Drizzle over a little honey and stir again.  
Step 5:
Serve three lamb chops onto each plate and spoon over the delicious chilli, honey butter from the pan. Serve with the rice, minty cucumber yoghurt and a lemon wedge alongside.  
 
Grilled halloumi on a bed of char grilled vegetables Grilled halloumi on a bed of char grilled vegetables


Chargrilled vegetables with halloumi and a chilli and mint dressing

In episode three Judi sails onwards to the charming seaside town of Parga, touring the fruit and vegetable gardens of a boutique beach resort before heading back on board to make chargrilled vegetables with halloumi and a chilli and mint dressing. 

Ingredients (serves two): 

Main dish Mint Yoghurt
1 red onion, cut into wedges  
4 baby courgettes, halved lengthways  
1 red pepper  
1 yellow pepper  
4 sprigs fresh oregano  
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to fry the halloumi   
1 block halloumi, halved lengthways  
2 sprigs mint, finely chopped    

2 tbsp red wine vinegar  
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil  
1 tsp Dijon mustard  
1 tsp honey  
1 long red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped  
1 tbsp mint leaves, finely chopped   
Salt and freshly ground pepper

 

Method: 

Step 1: Place the vegetables into a large bowl, sprinkle in the oregano and pour over 1 tbsp olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper.  
Step 2:
Place a griddle pan onto a high heat.  
Step 3:
Halve the halloumi and press some paper towel into both pieces to absorb any excess moisture.  
Step 4:
Place the dressing ingredients into a small bowl, along with some seasoning and whisk well to combine.  
Step 5:
Add the vegetables to the griddle pan and cook for 4-5 minutes or until charred well on each side. Repeat with the remaining vegetables and place them onto a tray until needed.  
Step 6:
Add a drizzle of olive oil to non-stick frying pan and place over a medium heat. When it has heated up, place the halloumi into the pan, and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.  
Step 7:
Arrange the chargrilled vegetables onto 2 serving plates. Spoon over half of the dressing. Add the halloumi on top and spoon over the remaining chilli dressing to serve.  
 
 
Greek inspired pastry dish with cucumber and tomato surrounding Greek inspired pastry dish with cucumber and tomato surrounding


Spinach, feta and walnut parcel with a tomato salad

Episode four takes Judi to Cephalonia, the largest of Greece's Ionian Islands known for its delicious pies. On board the luxury Emerald Azzurra, she whips up a spinach, feta and walnut parcel with a fresh tomato salad. 

Ingredients (makes six): 

Parcels Mint Yoghurt
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil  
2 onions, finely diced  
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped  
350g baby spinach leaves  
Zest of 1 lemon  
200g feta cheese, crumbled   
50g hard cheese, (parmesan) grated  
100g walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped  
8 sheets of filo pastry  
50ml extra virgin olive oil  
1 tbsp sesame seeds  

300g heritage tomatoes  
300g mixed colour cherry tomatoes, halved  
4 baby cucumbers  
50g olives  
2 tbsp red wine vinegar  
Juice of ½ lemon  
½ tsp dried oregano  
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil  
2 tbsp fresh dill, roughly chopped   
Salt and freshly ground pepper  

 

Method: 

Step 1: Preheat oven to 170C fan.
Step 2:
Heat oil in a large sauté pan and add the onion to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the onion has softened. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for another 2 minutes before adding the spinach to the pan and stirring well. Pop the lid on the pan for a few minutes or until the spinach has wilted. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the mixture to a tray to cool completely. Tip this mixture into a sieve and squeeze out any excess liquid.  
Step 3:
Place the drained spinach into a large bowl, add the lemon zest, feta cheese, hard cheese and ½ the walnuts. Season and mix well.  
Step 4:
Chop the remaining walnuts into a finer crumb and set aside.  
Step 5:
Unroll the filo pastry and brush the whole sheet lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle a thin layer of finely chopped walnuts over the pastry and lay another layer of filo on top. Brush the top layer with a little more olive oil.  
Step 6:
Spoon ¼ of the filling in the middle bottom part of the pastry and shape into a log. Fold the edges in over the filling and tightly roll upwards. Brush a little more olive oil on Place the parcel onto a lined tray and repeat with the rest of the filling.  
Step 7:
Brush the tops of each parcel with olive oil and sprinkle with any remaining walnuts and sesame seeds. Pop these parcels in the oven for 30- 35 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. 
Step 8:
Make the salad by mixing the tomatoes together with the cucumber and olives. Add the red wine vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil to the bowl along with the oregano, dill and a little seasoning and mix well.  
Step 9:
Remove the filo parcels from the oven and serve with the tomato salad alongside.  
 
Honey and rum peaches with mini doughnuts  Honey and rum peaches with mini doughnuts


Honey and rum peaches with mini doughnuts

Judi concludes her adventure in Itea, where she meets some bees at a local honey farm before making a sweet treat of honey and rum peaches with mini doughnuts.

Ingredients: 

Doughnuts Cinnamon Sugar Caramelised Peaches
150ml Greek yoghurt  
1 large free-range egg 
Zest of 1 lemon  
1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped  
½ tsp ground cinnamon 
30g melted butter 
2 tbsp caster sugar 
275g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting  
Vanilla ice cream to serve   
Vegetable oil for frying  

125g caster sugar 

2 heaped tsp ground cinnamon 

 

 

 

 

 

50g butter  
2-3 large peaches, stones removed, cut into wedges 
1 vanilla pod  
3 tbsp honey  
Juice of ½ lemon 
30ml rum (optional)  

 

 

 

 

Method: 

Step 1: Place the egg and yoghurt into a large mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the lemon zest, vanilla, cinnamon, butter and sugar, whisk again. Lastly tip in the flour and mix well until it forms a dough.  
Step 2:
Remove the dough from the bowl and place it onto a floured surface and knead for a minute to bring it together. Using your hands or a rolling pin, flatten it out so that it is around 1.5cm in thickness.
Step 3:
Pour 2 inches of the vegetable oil into a medium high sided sauté pan. Place it onto the heat until it reaches 170C. 
Step 4:
Using a 3cm-4cm round cookie cutter, stamp out circles of the dough and lay them onto a tray. Bring the remaining dough together again and repeat this process until all the dough has been used.  
Step 5:
While you are waiting for the oil to heat up, place another sauté pan onto a medium high heat. Add the butter and when it begins to foam, add the peaches, vanilla and honey. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the peaches are tender and their colour begins to seep into the sauce. Add a bit of rum if you fancy it and flambé. Remove the pan from the heat and squeeze in the lemon juice. Set aside.  
Step 6:
Mix the cinnamon sugar ingredients into a small tray. And set up a wire rack over a tray for when your donuts are cooked.  
Step 7:
When your oil reaches 170C, begin to carefully drop your donuts into the oil. Cook in batches, depending on how big your pan is. Cook for 2 minutes and then flip each one over in the oil. Continue to cook for another 2 minutes or until they are golden and cooked through. 
Step 8: Lift them out of the oil and lay them onto a wire rack to drain off any excess oil, then drop them into the cinnamon sugar and shake them well until they are all evenly coated in sugar.  
Step 9:
Serve 5-6 in a bowl with a few peach wedges alongside. Add a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle over some of that sweet peach vanilla syrup.  
 

Watch Judi Love cooking up a storm

Tune in to Judi Love's Culinary Cruise on ITVX to watch Judi discover fabulous places in the Mediterranean then cook up her own dishes inspired by it all. 

Featured  Itinerary

Dubrovnik to Athens (Piraeus)

8 Days

SEASON: 2025

Mediterranean Enchantment

Explore the Mediterranean by luxury yacht

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GBP
£5,590*

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