I’ve been negligent in sharing the news from Burning River Farm. I didn’t have time to post details from delivery No. 14, and I was away for No. 15 (my share-mate Jim Buchta got that box entirely to himself, lucky guy).

Here’s the weekly report [it’s written by farm worker Adrienne, not farmer Mike Noreen].

“Fall is coming right along, easing us into winter. Hope everyone is adjusting well! This being my first year farming, I had to run out in mini-crisis mode and buy some wool and polar fleece that I wouldn’t mind getting dirty. Mind you, I was well-adjusted to summer. . .

“I hope this experience has been as fulfilling for you as for myself. I’ve enjoyed every aspect: getting up before sunrise, the company (Mike, Juli, Elizabeth and volunteers), the fabulous lunches we took turns cooking up, the harvesting, weeding and tractoring. My favorites to harvest are: Hakurai turnips, carrots, beets, fresh herbs (I put in a request that we have more next year), cabbage and summer squash. I could go into much more detail, because I think if you’re out in the country (normally a city girl), in the field all day, you’d better enjoy it or you’ll go insane! If you ever have an interest in volunteering on a farm you might just find it’s what you needed. Plus, a farmer would be that much happier . . .

“There was a complaint last week from CSA member Mary that her children wouldn’t eat store-bought carrots any more, only Mike’s carrot’s will do. They’re hooked! Uh-oh, what has he done? Hopefully, for your sanity through winter, a similar complaint has been averted. Be sure to crave them come next year, though. . .

“Just finished packing up week No. 16. The squash is the deciding factor of whether we’ll get to the 19th week as we’re still in the process of harvesting it. As I sit here to write to ya’ll, my peripheral vision caught something black but more agile than Benny the farm dog (a.k.a. Beazley Bear Fox). It was my first black bear sighting ever! Very amazing creature right outside the window. Wow. It must have been exciting to the car that was driving by, because they backed up to see it and it ran away incredibly fast.”

Adrienne also included a recipe, and it sounds like a keeper.

KALE AND POTATO SOUP
Serves 6.
Note: From Burning River Farm

5 potatoes, cut into quarters
2 cloves garlic
5 c. chicken stock
3 c. roughly chopped kale leaves
1 tsp. freshly chopped marjoram
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine potatoes, garlic and 3 cups chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine remaining 2 cups chicken stock, kale, marjoram and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until kale is tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer potato mixture to a blender and puree until smooth (soup will be thick). Add pureed potato mixture to kale mixture, remove bay leaf, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

You should be so lucky to have one of these land at your door every Thursday morning.

There are so many benefits to CSA membership. The produce is ultra-fresh. There’s tons of variety. Purchasing a share boosts the local economy and does good things for the local environment, and don’t forget all the warm-and-fuzzy feelings that come from supporting the hard work of family owned farms. Hopefully I’ve touched on some of these attributes in the past few months.

But here’s another reason, and for many it’s a pay-attention dealmaker: With CSA membership comes tremendous value.

At least that’s been my experience. For the past few deliveries I’ve carefully weighed the contents and then played Phantom Shopper, bringing my CSA list to a natural foods co-op (which emphasis the local/sustainable/organic equation) or a supermarket and do a little math.

For my Sept. 18th delivery, my calculator and I dropped in on the Wedge Co-op; had I bought everything that was in my CSA box, I would have spent $45.60 (had I used my member discount it could have been a few dollars less, but I played the Everyman card and shopped like a non-member). The following week (Sept. 25th), I went to my neighborhood Lunds, where the tab hit $50.73, and it wasn’t entirely even-Steven, since I had to resort to several conventionally raised equivalents (which aren’t exactly equal to BRV-raised produce) because the store didn’t stock a comparable organically raised alternative; buying all-organic would surely have boosted that number by a few bucks. Yesterday I took my little economics experiment to the Seward Co-op, where the total would have set me back $36.69.

Those mid-September deliveries probably skewed a little high because they both featured costly tomatoes, so I’m going to lowball it and average out the value of each delivery from Burning River Farm at $35 per week. The farm’s growing season stretches to 18 weeks, meaning the value of my summer share would be $630. The cost of a full share is $495. That’s the equivalent of a $135 bonus in gorgeous, great-tasting vegetables. Farmer Mike Noreen is toying with the idea of a 19th delivery, increasing that bonus to $170.

Yes, I paid an additional $75 to get it delivered directly to my office, a feature many CSA farms do not offer, so that nudges the value in a southerly direction a bit, but that’s still a $60 bonus on 18 deliveries and a $95 bonus on 19 deliveries. For argument’s sake, I’d also like to say that I’m lowballing that estimate; I’d say it might be more in the $38 range, which would add another $54 to that proverbial cream at the top of the milk bottle.

I wasn’t surprised to learn that Mike’s top revenue-producers by weight are his exceptional greens. The farm’s spinach and arugula could both earn $11 to $13 per pound on the retail market, and the salad greens - truly, the best I’ve run across in these parts - also occupy a top-dollar berth. Little did I realize that our house has been enjoying superb salads all summer long at discount prices. How cool is that?

Sure, there have been a few downsides. I’ll admit that I was hoping for more exotic surprises. Not that I’m complaining, because a number of deliveries contained vegetables that certainly land in the outer limits of my produce comfort zone (for example, I can’t push the cart faster past broccoli and turnips, so confronting them in the box did me some good). Oh, and I would have liked to have seen more herbs, and a melon or two (and who knows, I just might, since the farm has a few more deliveries to go). But those are the only complaints I can muster, and you know what? For a whiner like me, that’s pretty great.

Bottom line: Would I go the CSA route again? In a heartbeat.

Here’s the news from the farm:

“We got our first frost yesterday morning,” writes farmer Mike Noreen. “I’m happy to say that the tomatoes and some other items survived, but I think this is the end of the summer squash and cucumbers. The leaves of the plants have a rather defeated look to them. We picked many of the tomatoes Monday night [for Thursday’s delivery], just in case. I don’t know what it was that felt different. I’ve left things to chance on many a protected 40-degree nights. But it proved to be a valid intuition. We walked out early to frozen leaves and a powered-sugar field. This is just the beginning of some colder mornings as we bundle ourselves up more and more each progressive dawn.

“A party in a box. This week you have [the comments are Mike’s]:

1. Tomatoes: for some reason the frost spared many of the tomatoes, so it may not be the last.

2. Cucumbers: Definitely the last. They got hit hard.

3. Onions: The first of the storage type.

4. Summer squash: This is probably the last of the summer squash. Just a little bit until next year.

5. Broccoli: I hope you like.

6. Sweet corn: This is the last succession for the year. Enjoy!

7. Carrots

8. Broccoli raab: This is the bunched green. More on this to follow.

9. Spinach.

10. Arugula: It’s holey because of the flea beetles, but still good.

11. Thyme: Never enough, just a little.

“So, for those who got beets this week, be sure to use the greens. They are too pretty for the compost. Saute them, quiche them, or simply steam them and serve as a side with a little lemon juice and butter. Next week should see some more carrots, broccoli, radishes and if we are spared, some more tomatoes.”

Here’s the bummer: Mike is hosting a picnic for his CSA-ers at the farm on Sept. 21st, and I’m going to miss it because I’ll be on vacation. It sounds like a good time, too: Smokey Meadows Farm in Grantsburg, Wis. is supplying the organic, grass-fed beef for burgers, and everyone is asked to bring a dish to share. (One sigh of relief: there will be volleyball, and I don’t have to humiliate myself by playing a sport involving a ball).

Here’s what I’d make if I were going. It’s my fallback you-need-to-take-something-to-a-party dish: Brownies. They’re fantastic, and incredibly easy to make. I can’t think of an occasion where I hauled these babies along and someone didn’t ask me for the recipe. They’re that good, with a crisp outer shell, a super-fudge-ey interior and tons of nuts. I’ve made them so many times that I’m pounding out this recipe from memory.

PALM BEACH BROWNIES
Makes about 24 brownies.
Note: This recipe must be prepared in advance. Adapted from “Maida Heatter’s Book of Great Desserts” by Maida Heatter (Andrews McMeel, $29.95). Sometimes I omit the espresso powder, sometimes I add an extra teaspoon of vanilla extract, sometimes I add more walnuts and sometimes I use 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate and 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate; it always works out fine. Great, even. Use the best butter and chocolate you can find; I like to use Minnesota-made PastureLand butter (available at most natural foods co-ops) and Scharffen Berger chocolate.

8 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus 2 extra tbsp. for pan
2 c. walnuts, roughly chopped
5 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. powdered instant espresso
3 3/4 c. sugar
1 2/3 c. flour

Directions
Adjust rack one-third up from bottom of oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Invert a 9×13-inch pan so bottom is facing up. Cut a piece of aluminum foil that is roughly 16 inches long. Turn it shiny side down and carefully mold aluminum foil over bottom of pan to make a lining. Lift lining off pan, invert pan and place lining, now shiny side up, in pan, carefully smoothing foil to fill pan. Put 2 tablespoons butter in pan, place pan in oven for 60 seconds (until butter melts), remove pan and evenly brush melted butter across aluminum foil. In a double boiler over gently simmering water, melt chocolate and butter and stir until smooth. When combined, remove from heat and set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on low speed, combine eggs, vanilla extract, almond extract, salt, espresso powder, sugar and flour and mix until combined, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and mix for 10 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add chocolate-butter mixture and mix just until combined, scraping sides and bottom of bowl. Stir in walnuts. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 32 minutes, turning pan once during baking. Brownies should have a firm crust, with a few cracks (you may even smell a little burning, and that’s OK, the bottom and sides can - and should be - slightly singed - but an inserted toothpick will appear moist. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Invert brownies, carefully remove foil and wrap uncut brownies in waxed paper and plastic wrap. Freeze at least three hours or overnight. Thaw at least one hour before serving. When ready to serve, trim edges (saving for you to eat later, they’re the best part) and cut brownies into squares.

Clockwise, from upper left: Sweet corn, carrots, salad mix (bagged), green peppers, Swiss chard, parsley, cucumbers, zucchini and summer squash, another green pepper and, in the center, onions and tomatoes.

When a friend saw the contents of this week’s CSA box, she said, “It’s all so normal looking.” She meant that in a good way. Tomatoes, corn, peppers, greens, zucchini; each one is so delicious - and so familiar - that they shine all on their own. Who needs a recipe? This bounty needs little or no preparation.

Here’s the news from the farm:

“I’ve been amazed when I actually stop to think about the amount of food that has passed through the harvest shed doors so far this year,” writes farmer Mike Noreen. “After this week it will have been 1,782 boxes full of vegetables. Already that’s 639 more than last year. Plus what we harvest every Friday for the farmers market. this would be peanut so tanybody who has worked at a large farm in California or elsewhere.”

“I remember being in a large grocery store and seeing a banner that said ‘Farm Fresh’ with a picture of a field, with lettuce for as far as the eye can see, weedless and amazingly uniform. The farmer in me was envious. It looked so seamless. But the part of me that knows the destructive power of agriculture knew that it was not to be envied, most likely. We all partake of that agriculture inevitably. It’s difficult not to in this day and age, in a country that produces twice the calories that it really needs. I also thought about how many small farms and CSAs there are surrounding the Twin Cities compared to how many people live in the metro area. A drop in the puddle of food production. I hope this is changing in the coming years. It makes me appreciate so much the folks who partake in CSAs and come to the farmers market.”

“This marks the last week for Juli and Elizabeth. Both are headed back to school. Juli to the University of Minnesota to finish her master’s in counseling and Elizabeth to Denver for art and international studies. I’m endlessly thankful for their help and friendship this summer. They are integral in getting all this food to you.”

“I think the saying goes, ‘Red sky at morning, sailor take warning.’” It’s 6:20 in the a.m. It’s almost time to go the sweet corn, and a storm is rolling in. Saved from the storm in a box [comments are Mike’s]:

1. Sweet corn: Not the prettiest, but it should be good

2. Tomatoes: More, yah!

3. Pepppers: These have been nice. Hopefully the frost holds off long enough for some reds.

4. Cucumbers: Greek salad?

5. Summer squash: More. . .grill em’

6. Salad mix

7. Onions

8. Carrots: We took off the ugly tops, but great carrots

9. Swiss chard

10. Parsley

Mike’s forecast for next week: “Probably see the last of the sweet corn,” he wrote. “It’s coming on slow, so maybe it’ll be the week after. More tomatoes and cukes. Some leeks hopefully, and perhaps some spinach.”

Mike also suggested gazpacho. Here’s a recipe that sounds promising, from Betty Rosbottom, a Los Angeles-based writer whose work we often publish in Taste.

VICTORINE’S GAZPACHO
Serves 4.
Note: From “Sunday Soup” by Betty Rosbottom (Chronicle Books, $19.95). “One of my favorite gazpacho recipes comes from my Portuguese friend, Victorine Fenandes, whose version of this classic Spanish soup is a true winner,” writes the author. “The difference is in the details. She peels and seeds her tomatoes, and uses a baguette instead of soft white bread, which adds more flavor and thickens the soup more efficiently. Her colorful garnishes also add to the allure. Victorine sets out a bowl of chopped red and green bell peppers mixed with chopped cucumber, another bowl filled with chopped hard-boiled egg and green onions, and finally, one with golden bread croutons sauteed in olive oil. This recipe serves four generously, but it can be easily doubled.”

2 lbs. tomatoes
1 large (about 8 oz.) red bell pepper
1 large (about 8 oz.) green pepper
1 cucumber
1 day-old baguette with crust
3 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 tbsp. olive oil, plus extra for sauteing cubed bread
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
2 tsp. sea salt, preferably fleur de sel, plus more if needed
8 ice cubes, crushed
2 hard-cooked eggs
1 bunch green onions

Directions
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Using a small, sharp knife, make an “x” in bottom of each tomato and add to boiling water for 15 to 20 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon. Using a small, sharp knife, peel skin from tomatoes and discard. Stem tomatoes, then quarter lengthwise and scarpe out and discard seeds and membranes. Transfer tomatoes to a large bowl. Stem red and green peppers, then quarter lengthwise and cut out and discard seeds and membranes. Chop peppers and reserve 1/4 cup of each for garnish. Add remaining chopped peppers to bowl with tomatoes. Using a vegetable peeler, remove alternating lengthwise strips of skin from cucumber. Quarter cucumber lengthwise (but don’t remove seeds). Chop cucumber and reserve 1/2 cup for garnish; add remaining chopped cucumber to bowl of vegetables. Cut baguette into 1/2-inch cubes to yield 3 cups. Add half of bread cubes to bowl and reserve other half for garnish. Add garlic to vegetables. Using a food processor fitted with a metal blade (or a blender), puree vegetable mixture in two batches in a food processor or blender for several seconds; transfer to a large bowl. Stir in olive oil, vinegar and 2 teaspoons salt. Add crushed ice. Taste and adjust for more salt, if needed. Cover and refrigerate until icy cold, for at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours. After soup is well-chilled, taste and season with salt if needed (chilled soups often need extra seasoning to intensify their flavor). When ready to serve, set out 3 bowls for garnishes. Mix reserved peppers and cucumber together and place in one small bowl. cut off roots and all but 1 inch of green tops from green onions and chop. Peel and chop hard-cooked eggs and combine with onions; place in another small bowl (these garnishes can be assembled 3 hours ahead; cover and refrigerate). Pour enough olive oil in a medium skillet to cover bottom generously. Set pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add remaining 1 1/2 cups bread cubes and cook, stirring, until golden, for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and let cool, then transfer to remaining small bowl (croutons can be prepared 3 hours ahead; store uncovered at room temperature). To serve, ladle soup into 4 large bowls. Arrange small bowls of garnishes on a tray and pass.

The opening of the Minnesota State Fair kept me busy on Thursday, so I didn’t get to my CSA box until late Thursday night. The news from the farm will have to wait for a later post; I stupidly left farmer Mike Noreen’s newsletter on my desk. It’s been that kind of a week.

The box felt as if it weighed 50 pounds, and it was stuffed to the rafters with one glorious goodie after another. The first green peppers and potatoes were there, along with nearly a dozen ears of corn, five or six ruby red tomatoes, a bunch of beets, more long red onions, a few summer squash, a big bag of basil, a small bunch of cilantro and what sounds like might be the last of the arugula. The farm has produced a spectacular run of the stuff: crisp and peppery. I’ve savored every bite.

My box-mate and colleague Jim Buchta raved about an arugula pesto that he made last week. Mike cautioned that this week’s arugula might be the last, and it’s best use could be outside salads, so Jim’s pesto idea stuck with me as I read those words. I turned to Mark Bittman for an easy-make formula.

ARUGULA PESTO
Makes about 1 cup.
Note: From “How to Cook Everything” by Mark Bittman (MacMillan, $21.95). “A thin paste with the distinctive flavor of arugula,” writes the author. “I like to use it with grilled chicken or shrimp.”

2 c. arugula, well-washed and dried
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp. pine nuts or walnuts, lightly toasted in a dry skillet
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3/4 c. olive oil, divided

Directions
Remove any tough stems from arugula. Place it in a food processor fitted with a metal blade (or a blender) and add garlic, pine nuts (or walnuts), salt and about 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add 1/4 cup olive oil and pulse a few times. With motor running, add additional olive oil to make a creamy sauce, stopping food processor (or blender) to scrape down sides if necessary. Use within a day.

As for the zucchini, everyone seems to have a go-to recipe for zucchini bread. This is mine. I like the ginger and hazelnut accents.

ZUCCHINI CAKE WITH GINGER AND HAZELNUTS
Serves 10.
Note: From the New York Times Magazine.

2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/3 c. fresh-squeezed orange juice
2 tsp. orange zest
2 tsp. ginger root, peeled and grated
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. grated zucchini
1/2 c. finely chopped hazelnuts
Butter and flour for greasing pan

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Stir in sugar. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, orange juice, zest, ginger and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into bowl with flour and stir until just combined. Fold in zucchini and hazelnuts. Butter and flour a tube pan (such as for angel food or Bundt). Scrape batter into pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool
completely. Slice and serve.

This week’s delivery (clockwise, from lower left): Tomatoes, carrots, arugula, salad mix, long red onions, zucchini, summer squash, collard greens, green beans, basil (center).

The first tomatoes!

I’ve been holding off on buying tomatoes at the farmers market because I wanted the first locally grown tomato to grace my kitchen to be a Burning River Farm tomato. It’s definitely going to be a BLT weekend at our house. BLT season is one of the reasons why I’m so pleased to live within walking distance of Widmer’s Super Market in St. Paul, because the store’s fine meat counter sells Nueske’s applewood-smoked bacon by the slice. Nothing fancy, just a thick slice or two of BRF tomato, a few crisp pieces of smoky Nueske’s bacon, a handful of BRF arugula and a big-old swipe of Hellmann’s, all between a few slices of toasted sandwich bread from A Toast to Bread.

Little did I know that these first tomatoes are something of a miracle. Here’s the news from the farm:

“It was a sad morning as we walk out to the tomatoes today. It’s been so cool here. It was upsetting to see that the tomatoes had barely ripened in the last week. Without the heat to push them along, they just stay where they are. It’s August 14th, and just a few tomatoes. With a little luck and a little heat, hopefully they will ripen some more. One can only take so many sad, tomato-expectant mornings.”

“With all the troubles this season, it’s got me thinking about and revamping the whole schedule for next year. True, it has been a very cool spring and summer, but just the difference in growing 40 miles farther north of the old spot [Mike used to farm near Osceola, Wis. before buying his new farm near Frederic, Wis. last fall] is vastly different in atmospheric temperament (from zone 4 to zone 3). Already in the works are hoop houses for early summer crops (cukes, tomatoes, eggplants) and a reworking of successions. I’m just upset about not having peppers yet! Also, financing is lined up for a deer fence around the fields, yah!”

“Let’s talk about the box:

Tomatoes: So much less than I wanted to give. They are taking their sweet time ripening up. Some prayers for warm weather . . .

Summer squash: From now until it frosts

Green beans: These may be the nicest green beans ever. . . I’ll leave that up to you though

Carrots: Yummy, sweet. Intern Elizabeth made lunch today along with carrots and peanut butter. I am neutral on that combo.

Arugula: I hope you all like arugula. We seem to have a lot of it this year. Experiment with it if it’s outside your usual palate. I’m an addict.

Salad mix: Vinaigrette?

Red long onions: These make me cry like no others.

Garlic: Cheers.

Basil: A nice bunch to go with tomatoes and garlic”

And of course there was a prediction for next week’s delivery: “We will see some potatoes and hopefully some more sweet corn. Beets, more carrots and hopefully some more basil.”

In my excitement over the tomatoes, I totally overlooked the week’s unsung gem: those green beans. Mike was right, they just might be the nicest green beans, ever. Here’s how I plan to make the most of them:

GREEN BEANS IN HERBED YOGURT
Serves 8.
Note: From “Feast” by Nigella Lawson (Hyperion, $35). “This is one of those recipes you feel must be more trouble than it’s worth - until you cook it,” Lawson writes. “Obviously, there’s nothing wrong with plain beans: cooked and drained and dripping with peppery butter, they are unquestionably wonderful; but these here are a different proposition entirely. It’s taking an everyday ingredient beyond the usual that makes this dinner a feast.”

2 lbs. slender green beans
2 onions
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch ground cloves
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter
1/4 c. cold water
1 c. Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp. salt
1 small garlic clove
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
2 tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp. chopped dill
1 tbsp. chopped mint

Directions
Top and tail beans, and cut them in half or thirds, depending upon size. Par-boil them for about 5 minutes until still crisp and vibrantly green, then drain and run under cold water. Peel and halve onions, and place in a food processor with cinnamon, ground cloves and pepper to taste. Process until onions are finely minced but not mushy (or chop as finely as you can by hand, and add spices to pan). In a large pan over medium heat, melt butter and cook onions until soft. Reduce heat to low, add beans, cover pan with lid and cook gently for 10 to 15 minutes. In a wide-necked glass measuring cup, combine water and yogurt. Add salt, mince in garlic and beat to mix. When beans and onions are soft, stir in cilantro, parsley and dill. Remove pan from heat and transfer beans to a large, flattish plate. Pour garlicky yogurt over beans, garnish with mint and serve.

GRILLED BABY NEW POTATO SALAD WITH GREEN BEANS AND MINT
Serves 4.
Note: From “The Swedish Table” by Helene Henderson (University of Minnesota Press, $29.95).

2 qts. water, salted
2 lbs. baby new potatoes, assorted varieties and colors such as Peruvian blue, Russian fingerling or Red Bliss
1 lb. thin green beans, ends cut off
Olive oil spray
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 c. freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp. freshly chopped mint
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions
In a large saucepan over high heat, bring salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until just soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Drain into a colander and let dry on paper towels. While potatoes are boiling, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Cook green beans until just done but still crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain immediately and rinse in cold water to stop cooking. Set aside on a small plate. Prepare an outdoor grill or stovetop grill pan. Cut cooked potatoes in half (or, if tiny, leave whole). Spray cut side with olive oil and grill, cut-side down, until grill marks appear. In a small bowl, mix garlic, mustard, vinegar, parsley and mint. Slowly whisk in olive oil. When potatoes are still hot, toss them in olive oil mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add green beans and tomatoes and serve at room temperature.