Fresh mussels, especially those you harvest yourself, are hard to beat, and so is this very easy to fix recipe which can be used either as a first or main course. Piled high in a bowl filled with couscous, this is also a very pretty dish.

 Couscous with Mussels, Tomatoes & Tarragon Butter
Linda Lewis, lulumusing.wordpress.com

5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
6-7 tarragon leaves, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
2½ cups chicken stock
1 Tablespoon ground coriander
1 Tablespoon ground fennel
1 Tablespoon honey
1 bay leaf
2 cups instant couscous
3 large tomatoes
3 Tablespoons olive oil
10 green onions, thinly sliced
3 pounds mussels, scrubbed & debearded
Flat leaf Italian parsley

Mix butter with tarragon and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Bring chicken stock to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, add half the coriander and fennel, honey and bay leaf. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and add ½ tarragon butter. Add salt if needed. Mix stock with couscous; cover.

Seed and dice tomatoes. Set aside.

Warm olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add green onions, remaining coriander and fennel and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add the mussels and tomatoes and cook until mussels open. Remove from heat, add remaining butter and stir until butter is melted.

Fluff the couscous and spoon into a serving bowl; top it with the mussels and broth and garnish with chopped parsley.

Makes 4 main course servings or 6 first course servings.

All that you need to serve with this delicious dish is crusty bread and a simple green salad. My favorite is mixed greens sprinkled with sea salt and lemon juice which complements rather than competes with the aromatic flavors in the mussels. Enjoy!

Linda Lewis is the creator of one-of-a-kind clothing and interior designs, and a blogger for MF&L.