Owner Martha Hester Stafford focuses on classic culinary instruction using local ingredients that are in season. Here, she shares a winter winner with us:

Winter Squash Stew With
Chickpeas and Garnet Yams

Makes 6–7 cups

4 to 5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 and 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 Tbsp. yellow mustard seeds
2 cans (15 oz. each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 cups vegetable stock
1 and 1/2 to 2 pounds local butternut squash, peeled and diced into
1/4-inch pieces, 4 to 5 cups
1 pound garnet yams, peeled and diced into ¼-inch pieces, 2 to 3 cups

Heat olive oil in a heavy 5- to 6-quart saucepan. 1. Add onions and 1/4 tsp. salt; sauté over medium heat until onions are translucent and just starting to brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

Mix all the spices together in a small bowl and add them to the onions. Cook briefly until mustard seeds start to pop. Stir in chickpeas and enough stock to cover them. Simmer the chickpeas covered for 10 minutes, stirring and mashing up some of the chickpeas as they cook.

Add squash, yams, remaining 1 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper, and stir until thoroughly combined. Pour in the remaining stock, and bring to a boil. Turn down heat, cover, and simmer until the squash is soft, 20 to 30 minutes.

Season with salt to taste. Serve over rice.