“My first recipe was the couscous because I missed it so much.”
Though couscous makes up a big portion of the menu, the vibe of the truck is decidedly pan-Mediterranean. Crusty ciabatta bread from a family-run Italian bakery near Samir’s home in Astoria forms the base for inventive sandwich combos like fire-roasted veggies with feta or merguez, a spicy North African lamb sausage, which Samir pairs with roasted tomatoes, caramelized onions, and green olives. Whatever the dish, Samir’s quartet of house-made sauces are a must-try. With his lemon-and-olive-oil-infused Spicy Andalusian Sauce and Casablanca Sauce, Samir puts his own stamp on the white and hot sauces that are typical of halal street meat carts. The inventive Spicy Mint Sauce and Green Olive Sauce are entirely his own creations. Once the menu was in place, hopes were high when the truck hit the road. But trouble lay ahead.
“For the first day it was really great. We were, like, sold out. I was so happy coming back home … I was so excited. That’s when I had my accident. The first day going back home.” Peddling home and going fast down a hill, his bag strap got caught in the wheel of his bike. The bike flipped; Samir was thrown; and his arm was torn open. “It was the best day of my life and one of the worst.” Several surgeries and months of rehabilitation time were needed. The Comme Ci Comme Ça truck was off the road for the entire summer, the most profitable season for food trucks. “My scar is my first day of my business,” he says with a smile, looking down at the inches-long scar extending from his bicep to his forearm.
When the truck relaunched that fall, they were a little more cautious. “We were taking it easy. We decided not to start going everywhere. Just to learn. It was not a good idea to be in the same spot five days, but we said, okay, let’s stay here just to see. Also, the first day I had an accident, so I lost, you know, this confidence, you know.” They stayed on 55th near Lexington for a couple of months and learned their business. They figured out how to streamline the process from the shopping to the preparation to managing the orders. Their hard work soon started to pay off, as the buzz started to build and blog recommendations began to pile up. “Midtown Lunch is number one. People trust it so much. I have people come to my truck just because of Midtown Lunch. Every time I have an article, I get new people at the truck.”
After such a rocky beginning, Samir was humbled to be named a Vendy finalist in the new vendor category in 2011. By chance, the ceremony coincided with his mother’s visit from Morocco to see Samir’s newborn son, and she looked on with pride as he served three types of couscous to thousands of hungry attendees. Looking forward, Samir would like to open a shop. “I hope we can have a small business. Something small so you can have more things … I’m not thinking about restaurants. I would never have a restaurant. Even if I win the lottery tomorrow.”
Adapted from Samir Afrit’s recipe
Kofta is a catchall term for spiced ground meat that can be shaped into meatballs or formed into sausage-like cylinders and cooked on skewers. On the Comme Ci Comme Ça truck, Samir serves the kofta sandwich-style in a crusty Italian bread topped with Charmoula (page 132) and Green Olive Sauce (page 132). He recommends washing it down with a hot or iced mint tea.
1 medium-size white onion, very finely chopped
¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried mint leaves
¼ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1½ pounds ground lamb or ground beef
In a large bowl, combine the onion, parsley, cilantro, and garlic with all of the spices. Add ground meat and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour but no more than 2 hours. Note: Refrigeration is necessary to properly chill the meat so it can easily be formed on skewers.
Preheat gas grill to 400°F or prepare charcoal grill.
Form ground meat mixture into little cylinders about the thickness of two fingers. Place meat on skewers, squeezing it around the skewer to secure it. Place skewers on grill and cook approximately 5 minutes per side or until nicely browned. Serve with Charmoula (page 132) and Green Olive Sauce (page 132).
Note: If you use wooden skewers be sure to soak them in water for 30 minutes prior to using to avoid burning.
If you don’t have easy access to a grill you can prepare the kofta as meatballs. Shape ground meat mixture into approximately 1-inch meat-balls. Place oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 400°F. Place meatballs in a 13 x 9–inch or larger baking dish or pan lined with aluminum foil. Bake for 10 minutes and then turn the meatballs. Continue baking for another 10 minutes or until meatballs are lightly browned and cooked through.
(MOROCCAN CARAMELIZED ONION AND TOMATO SAUCE)
Adapted from Samir Afrit’s recipe
This versatile Moroccan condiment combines caramelized onions and tomatoes, and is used as both a marinade and a topping. Samir adds Charmoula to all of his sandwiches and burgers.
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 large white or yellow onions, julienned
pinch of salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon paprika
½ cup tomatoes, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat for one minute. Add the onions and stir to coat with olive oil. Sprinkle onions with salt. Sauté onions, stirring occasionally until they are tender and beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, reduce heat to medium-low, and continue to sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions are fully caramelized and a deep golden brown, about 20 to 30 minutes. Serve warm with Kofta (page 131). Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Adapted from Samir Afrit’s recipe
While green olives are popular in Moroccan cuisine, this sauce is entirely Samir’s invention. It goes well on both his Moroccan-Style Lemon Chicken (page 136) and the Kofta (page 131).
1 cup green olives, pitted
¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon pepper
Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender, and blend until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for an hour before serving. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 day (though it might not last, it’s that good!).
Adapted from Samir Afrit’s recipe
In Morocco, traditionally the meat is slow, cooked with the couscous. For ease of preparation on the truck, Samir cooks the meat separate from the couscous and sauce so vegetarians and carnivores can both enjoy this dish. Because the different vegetables in the sauce require different cooking times, they are added in stages to ensure that none of the veggies get overcooked.
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large white onion, coarsely chopped (about 1¼ cups)
2 large tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1½ tablespoons salt
½ tablespoon pepper
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon turmeric
6 carrots, peeled and quartered
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 small zucchini, quartered (about 2 cups)
1 small acorn squash, stem and seeds removed and cut into 1-inch wedges
1 cup canned chickpeas
1 tablespoon salted butter
¼ teaspoon salt
½ tablespoon cinnamon
½ tablespoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups couscous
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high for 1 minute. Add the onion, tomatoes, parsley, cilantro, and spices and stir to coat. Reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally until the onions and tomatoes form a thick sauce, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Add 8 cups water, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, then simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.
Add the carrots and sweet potatoes, and cook for about 15 minutes. Then add the zucchini, the butternut squash, and the chickpeas and cook for another 25 minutes, or until all vegetables are fully cooked and tender.
In a large saucepan, combine 3 cups water, butter, salt, cinnamon, turmeric, and olive oil. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Add couscous and stir. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Before serving, fluff couscous with a fork to break up clumps.
Portion out couscous on each plate, forming it into a mound with a well in the center. Place vegetables and sauce in well and top with Morocan-Style Lemon Chicken (page 136), if desired. Serve with Green Olive Sauce (page 132)
Adapted from Samir Afrit’s recipe
Preserved or pickled lemons, a common ingredient in Moroccan cuisine, are key to giving this grilled chicken dish its intense lemon flavor. Once pickled in salt and water you can use the entire lemon, peel, pith and all. Preserved lemons can be found at Middle Eastern markets, Whole Foods, or online spice and ethnic food purveyors like Kalustyan’s (kalustyans.com). Samir serves this grilled chicken both over couscous or basmati rice topped with Green Olive Sauce (page xxx). For this recipe chef Samir suggests using the best quality extra-virgin olive oil.
½ cup lemon juice
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon thyme
½ tablespoon salt
½ cup preserved whole lemon, finely chopped
4 boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, black pepper, oregano, thyme, and salt. Stir in the preserved lemon pieces, then add the chicken and mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Place chicken on skewers.
On a very hot grill, cook chicken skewers, basting frequently and turning occasionally, for 7 to 10 minutes.
Remove chicken from skewers and serve with Vegetable Couscous (page 132) and Green Olive Sauce (page 132).
Note: If you use wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water for 30 minutes prior to using to avoid burning.
