Recipes Curried Fried Rice with Smoked Trout Be the first to rate & review! Chef Adam Evans uses any kind of smoked white fish (grouper, snapper, flounder) for the fragrant rice he serves. For a milder dish, seed and de-rib the chile before mincing. Slideshow: Rice Pilaf Recipes By Adam Evans Adam Evans Restaurant:The Optimist (Read a review) Location: Atlanta Why He's Amazing: Because his upscale fish-shack dishes deliciously combine simple yet bold flavors, often with a Southern accent. Culinary School: Self-taught background: JCT. Kitchen & Bar, Craftbar (/sites/default/files/tlanta); Craft (New York City); La Petite Grocery, Ralph's on the Park New Orleans) Quintessential Dish: Frothy she-crab soup with shrimp toast On Choosing to Work at a Fish-Focused Restaurant: "I wanted to take a break from that whole pork thing," he says, referring to America's infatuation with all things pig. (However, he's not averse to using smoky bits of the meat to flavor gumbo, butter beans and other regionally inspired dishes.) Southern Roots: In the 1960s, long before Evans was born, his hometown was an epicenter for rock and roll and blues. "I'm from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Everybody recorded there," he says. "Bob Dylan, Etta James, the Rolling Stones." What Has Surprised Him at the Optimist: "The amount of oysters that Atlanta has eaten here has been mind boggling." Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on October 1, 2014 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Christina Holmes Total Time: 30 mins Yield: 4 Ingredients 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 3/4 cup diced tomatoes 1 tablespoon curry powder 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger 1 teaspoon minced Thai bird chile 4 garlic cloves, minced 2 shallots, minced 3 cups leftover or cooked and cooled basmati rice 1 cup flaked smoked trout (about 8 ounces) 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 1/2 cup coarsely chopped basil 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro 1/2 cup coarsely chopped mint 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions, green and light green parts only Kosher salt Pepper 1/4 cup chopped unsalted roasted peanuts Directions In a large skillet, melt the butter over moderately high heat. Add the tomatoes, curry powder, ginger, chile, garlic and shallots and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes are beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in the rice and trout and cook, stirring once or twice, until the rice is toasted and crisped, about 3 minutes. Using a spoon, make a hole in the middle of the rice and pour in the olive oil. Add the eggs and let them cook, undisturbed, until the bottom starts to set. Stir in the basil, cilantro, mint and scallions and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the fried rice to a serving platter, sprinkle with the peanuts and serve immediately. Suggested Pairing Citrusy, lightly sweet Loire Valley Chenin Blanc. Rate it Print