TOO OFTEN, FRESH and flavorful leeks end up as supporting players in soups—or worse, they never leave the grocery store produce aisle. I wanted to treat this underrated vegetable a little more carefully, braising it slowly to bring out its mild flavors in a warm dish suitable for still-brisk springtime nights.
I gathered a variety of existing recipes, and after much slicing, washing, browning, braising, whisking, and dressing, I called my tasters. We agreed on a few things: One, cutting the leeks lengthwise, leaving the root ends intact, made for the best presentation. Two, browning the leeks and then braising them in broth yielded the deepest flavor. And three, it had to be easy.
Back in the kitchen, I halved and washed 3 pounds of leeks, seasoned them with salt…
