The best part of a steaming pot of mussels just might be the broth. Garlic-flecked, wine-drenched and suffused with salty brine, it can be so good that sometimes I’ll forget about the mussels themselves. Instead, I’ll focus on mopping up the entire pool of liquid with whatever is in reach — chunks of bread, French fries, even the empty mussel shells if a spoon is out of reach (besides, the shells are more fun).

This pasta with mussels, tomatoes and fried capers gives that heady broth a higher purpose, elevating it from the byproduct of a cooking technique to the very heart of a dish. All it takes is little simmering, a bit of butter and some ripe summer tomatoes.