Fast forward to a passionate man… Mohamed Boulagjam is a businessman, even if this title scares him – according to him he is not engaged in a business at all but rather in a passion that is dear to his heart…. In spite of all his responsabilities, he has retained a touching and natural kindness.  He meets us in his restaurant, on the balcony that overlooks a part of Casablanca and the French Alpine Club where he grew up.  He tells us of his childhood and of the birth of his passion: as far back as he can remember, he would go to work with his father: He washed dishes, cooked and looked after the till.  Very early on, he absorbed the in the most natural way - by living it daily. At home, his mother would cook but, more often than not, the two men ate brochettes.  In fact Mohamed still eats them every day without ever tiring of them.  The idea of embarking on a project based on the same concept as that of his father had always been his intention.  Before starting his own business, he gained experience working at Paradise on the Corniche and at Bouznika Bay.  He had thoroughly mastered his trade and knew it inside out and so it was without apprehension that, in 2005, he opened his first “Monsieur Brochette” in the centre of town, and then at CIL. The restaurant quickly grew into a chain with 4 outlets in Casablanca followed by one in Rabat… and it does not stop here…. His concept should soon see the light of day in Fes, Tangier, Oujda, Marrakech and in Agadir before 2010; as for foreign ventures, he is in negotiations with the Spanish and Emiratis.  He confesses that he owes his success to his father.  You can sense the great affection, respect and gratitude he feels for his father.  He leafs through old photo albums where one can see Ahmed Boulagjam shaking hands with Jacques Chirac, Dolmy and Hajji.  There are shots of him in France with the CAF sports team or in Spain.  “The CAF is one big family that organizes BBQs, picnics and 14th of July celebrations”, his son tells us, “I was always there with my father as he served brochettes to people seated in berber tents or under a Christmas tree.  Many customers became friends whom we invited to our bled for the holidays”. He laughs as he tells us of certain French people who, still faithful to CAF, come to buy sandwiches to take back to Europe to satisfy cravings of their children.

Like Father like Son

The family concept remains the same as when it was founded in 1957, ie. half a traditional loaf of bread,  meat  - of course  - and, to go with it, Moroccan salad, olives, hot sauce and onions.  With a few minor exceptions: You can also order the essential Friday couscous and the restaurant now offers a home delivery service.  The name “Monsieur Brochette”, was obviously chosen to honour the father. “At CAF, the French could not remember our surname which they found too complicated and so, very quickly, my father became Monsieur Brochette”.  This name has also been passed on from father to son… In Casablanca, when someone wants to organize a family or corporate event, either at home or in rented premises, they do not hesitate to call on Monsieur Brochette who has deservedly become the leading light when it comes to grilled meats: fresh meat is delivered to the restaurant each morning: nothing is frozen and everything is cooked over coals. Add to this the fact that chef’s experience that is almost equal to his age… it is no mystery . “There are actually a few secrets” he tells us, “but they shall remain a mystery except for one day in the future, when they will be passed on to my son if he decides to carry on the business. He is only three years old so we shall have to see”, he smiles.

Birth of a trade…

Ahmed Boulagjam was born in the region of Chichaoua in 1936.  At the age of 16, he went to try his luck in Casablanca. He worked odd jobs and soon cooking grills at La Marseillaise Café in the Bournazel quarter where he sold sandwiches to the café’s customers, mainly Americans, French and Russians. Even though he did not have much experience, he showed surprising talent to the point that in 1959, two Frenchmen whom he happened to meet, introduced him to CAF where he began making sandwiches every Sunday. Soon it was each Saturday and Sunday.  In the beginning he had a little shed and some tables with plastic cloths but very soon, the customers took a liking to what he was doing and he began to work there full time.  Little by little, over the years, his place expanded.  Today, forty years later, he owns his own restaurant in the CAF complex by the pool with 300 covers.  He is there full time. This is his passion and he and his children consider the CAF their second home!

A meal to be shared.

While in the West, BBQ food is in fashion, here in Morocco, skewers cooked over a a flame or on a “qanoun” have always been popular. The ritual meals of boulfafs, skewers of lamb livers wrapped in caul fat during the Aid el Adha, symbolise the spirit of family warmth and friendly hospitatlity.  There is nothing simpler than organizing a lunch of grills:  You don’t even have to have a garden. 

All you need to grill at home is a brazier (an earthenware qanoun or metal majmar) to place in a well aired corner of the kitchen or on the balcony.  Cooked in this fashion, meat is enjoyed in a family atmosphere, traditionally served with mint tea and rounds of bread or “batbot”. The exciting smells of the cooking meat only sharpen everyone’s appetite.  Around the dish of meat is a variety of Moroccan salads although there is one that is essential to the ritual.  A tomato and pepper salad.  Green and black olives are also usually served.

So that the meat gives of its best:

The skewers must be gently handled whilst cooking: use a spatula or tongs but never use a fork that can let the meat juices escape, rendering the meat dry.

Meat to be cooked over a wood fire should be marinated so as to guarantee optimal tenderness. Marinate for at least two hours.  So that sausages do not split while being cooked, soak them in cold water for 10 minutes or prick with a fork before grilling.

As liver is difficult to cut, it is best to precook it and then grill it briefly so as to make it easier to cut.

MARINADE SECRETS

-raditionally, meat is marinated in a mixture of salt, pepper, parsley, a little mint, onions and a touch of vegetable oil.

- A different recipe is used for liver>  It can be prepared as for “boulfaf” ( the pieces of liver are wrapped in lamb caul fat) or otherwise.  In both cases, liver is seasoned with salt, paprika and cumin.

-Minced meat is prepared with onion and parsley to which different spices are added according to personal taste: some use cinnamon, others prefer pepper or the cumin/paprika duo.  Others dare to mince their meat with almonds or walnuts.

-Marinade for fish skewers can be made 15 minutes before cooking: Here opt for a mix of lemon juice, olive oil and fine herbs. 

- Chicken can also be grilled, cut into two halves if it is a young bird.  Otherwise, cut the breast into pieces. Marinate it to give it greater flavour: use aromatic herbs, spices, mustard.