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Trim the root end away from the leek. Separate the darker tops from the lighter body and the niblet (see intro). Wash and slice everything but keep them in two separate piles.
Warm 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium saucepan. Add the darker leaves and a pinch of salt. Cook them over a very gentle heat, stirring often, for 8-10 minutes until starting to soften. If they look like catching or burning at any point, add a dash of stock as and when needed.
Next, throw in the rest of the leek along with the garlic and bay. Use a peeler to pull one long strip of zest from the lemon and throw that in too. Cook gently for a further 5 minutes.
Now add the beans to the pan, along with the remaining stock. Simmer gently for 6-8 minutes, until the leek is tender and the beans have warmed through and absorbed most of the stock. Remove from the heat and pluck out the bay leaf and lemon zest. Stir in the herbs and crème fraîche. Taste and tweak the seasoning with salt, pepper and a squeeze or two of lemon to your liking.
Toast and butter your bread. Pop each slice on a plate and top with the warm, beany leeks.