crisp and well rendered, about 10 minutes Add the garlic and pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds Add the chicken stock and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan Add the beans, tablespoons of the vinegar, and the sugar, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are completely soft and cooked through, about hour; add water as necessary if the pan begins to dry out and the beans start to sizzle Stir in the remaining tablespoons vinegar, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve BRAISED LEEKS WITH THYME AND LEMON ZEST Leeks are the archetypal wingman They disappear into stews and soups and gently flavor sautéed vegetables They melt into sauces and hide out in stir-fries I mean, they even play second fiddle to potatoes, for god’s sake— that’s potato-leek soup, not leek-potato soup Well, Mr Leek, today, opportunity knocks When braised, leeks retain their subtle aroma but acquire a completely tender, almost meaty texture as they slowly break down and absorb liquid To heighten their sweetness a bit, it’s best to caramelize the cut surfaces of the split leeks in hot oil before adding the liquid Why the cut surface? Because it’s easier to lay them flat that way Even though only the edges will acquire any color, everything’s cool—those wonderful browned compounds are water-soluble, which means that after you add your liquid, many of them will dissolve and spread throughout the dish You can use any type of liquid you’d like, but I like to use chicken stock, with a few nuggets of good butter The butter keeps things lubricated while the leeks cook, and it will add richness to the sauce the leeks and stock form as they slowly braise in the oven NOTE: For best results, look for leeks about inch in diameter ... sweetness a bit, it’s best to caramelize the cut surfaces of the split leeks in hot oil before adding the liquid Why the cut surface? Because it’s easier to lay them flat that way Even though only the edges will acquire any color,... use chicken stock, with a few nuggets of good butter The butter keeps things lubricated while the leeks cook, and it will add richness to the sauce the leeks and stock form as they slowly braise in the oven NOTE: For best results, look for leeks... WITH THYME AND LEMON ZEST Leeks are the archetypal wingman They disappear into stews and soups and gently flavor sautéed vegetables They melt into sauces and hide out in stir-fries I mean, they even play second fiddle to potatoes, for god’s sake—