Braised Endives with Haricots Verts

Cut out a round of wax paper to fit just inside a 12-inch heavy skillet, then butter 1 side of round.

Fit endives, cut sides down, snugly in skillet.

Add broth, lemon juice, butter bits, sugar, and salt, then cover endives with wax-paper round, buttered side down, and simmer until endives are tender and liquid is thickened and reduced to about a quarter of its original volume, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook beans in a 4-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until just tender, about 5 minutes.

Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking, then drain again.

Remove wax paper from endives, then gently stir in beans and cook until beans are just heated through, about 1 minute.

Beans can be cooked 1 day ahead and chilled in a sealed plastic bag lined with dampened paper towels.