I needed to serve couscous with my chicken tagine with dates and honey and, as I had guests coming, I wanted something a little bit more interesting than plain couscous.  So off I went to Eat Your Books and typed in couscous.  Up popped 85 recipes.  This one caught my eye (probably because it had pomegranates in it and I have a few :)).

It is from the Masterchef Australia Cookbook Volume 1.  The recipe was contributed by Michelle Darlington who served her couscous with chicken with preserved lemon.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups chicken stock
• 6 star-anise
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• salt, to taste
• 2 cups blanched almonds
• 2 cups instant couscous
• olive oil
• seeds of one pomegranate

1. Bring stock to the boil then add the star-anise and garlic.
2. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until it is reduced to about 1¼ cups.
3. Strain and set aside.
4. Toast almonds until golden and, when cool, chop roughly then set aside.
5. When ready to serve, put couscous into a pot.
6. Reheat the stock until boiling then pour over the couscous.  Cover tightly with lid.  Set aside for 5 minutes.
7. Add 1 tbs olive oil, almonds and half of the pomegranate seeds to the couscous.  Fluff up.
8. Decorate with remaining pomegranate seeds.