Mussels Dijonnaise

We find mussels to be a romantic dish. Eating them with your hands adds to the experience and soaking up the broth with crusty charred baguette—well, there’s nothing better. Early on, when we wanted to have a “date,” we’d squeeze it in right before the end of service at our restaurant, La Copine. We’d sit at the bar and order mussels, a beet salad, and sparkling wine—the combination was quite enchanting. This version of classic steamed mussels can briefly transport you to a different time and place: say, Belle Époque Paris?We intentionally use Pernod in the compound butter as a loving nod to France, along with the Dijon mustard. The broth is super anise-y, with fennel, dried tarragon, and the French liqueur. We finish it with a big handful of basil and a few fennel fronds. Layers of sweet anise with a punchy bite of Dijon, along with the balanced acidity from the white wine, creates an intoxicating broth, the true star of the dish. We suggest letting your bread fully saturate in the broth, for a perfect bite. Excess compound butter can be used to make garlic bread, to season a roast chicken or steak, or even to finish warm potatoes. If you can’t find Pernod, look for Ricard or another Pastis, but bourbon could also work.To clean mussels, pluck off any big beards, then place in a container of cold water with a bit of ice. Tumble them around, discarding any that are open or cracked. Transfer to a fresh container covered with wet towels and some ice, then refrigerate until ready to use. You can keep them for two or three days, but each day do a fresh rinse.Recipe adapted from La Copine, by Claire Wadsworth and Nikki Hill. Copyright 2026. Published by Abrams.More delicious seafood dishes here: Avgolemono Seafood Stew; Mussels With Spicy Tomato Oil and Grilled Bread; and Gorgeous Green Shrimp.