by John LaFollette
‘Ville Voice Eats Correspondent

For the chefs competing for a $500 culinary scholarship at Winston’s on Monday night, the ingredient du jour was pistachios.

The Jeffersonville-based importers of Dumante Verdonece, the Italian pistachio liqueur, presented the “Dumante for All Seasons” event on the campus of Sullivan University, where student chefs concocted savory dishes and cocktails that all included Dumante as the featured ingredient.

The 30 or so in attendance were each treated to six miniature cocktails and six small-plate dishes, which were judged by a panel of experts that included Chef John Castro of Sullivan, John Carlos White of Food and Dining Magazine, John White of Jeff Ruby’s, Chef Jim Gerhardt of Limestone and former Eats writer Steve Coomes, now of the Courier-Journal.

The master of ceremonies, Paul Najjar of WBKI, described the contest as a “battle royale,” akin to a Food Network-worthy challenge, though the competition between the food items was much tighter than between the cocktails.  The winning dish was a lemongrass-seared scallop with Dumante lemon beurre Bbanc and edamame mash—prepared by Erica Sung—though it could easily have been the duck confit, the rack of lamb, or the seared mahi-mahi.  The scallop also won the people’s choice category, which was voted on by the public.

The judges’ cocktail winner was a drink called the Chocolate-Dipped Pistachio, made by Sarah Abshire, with Dumante, Godiva liqueur, and milk, served on the rocks.  The public’s favorite cocktail (and the writer’s) was the Dumojito, a mojito with equal parts Dumante and rum.  Minty-er than most mojitos, the drink complemented the scallop dish perfectly.  Look for both of those items on local menus in the future.