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1
Prepare a wood-coal fire and allow it to reach an even, glowing heat with no open flame. Gas is not used; the smoke produced by the shells during grilling provides an aromatic basting effect intrinsic to the dish.
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2
Split each cigale de mer lengthwise immediately — live or at the moment of ice-slaughter. The flesh degrades rapidly once dead and unsplit; delay at this stage compromises the sweet, briny character of the flesh irretrievably. Combine the olive oil and garlic and brush the cut flesh generously, paying particular attention to the tomalley (hepatopancreas) in the head, which receives an extra measure of oil.
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3
This is where the dish lives or dies: lay the cigales cut-side down over the wood coals. The internal temperature must build from the flesh side; placing the shell down first causes the delicate tail flesh to become rubbery before the shell has charred. Grill cut-side down for 4–5 minutes. The cook looks for golden char marks developing across the cut surface and the first signs of opacity reaching the flesh.
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4
Turn each cigale shell-side down and grill for a further 2 minutes. Total cooking time for a 300 g specimen is 6–7 minutes. At the close of this period, the flesh is just opaque — not white throughout — and separates from the shell with a slight, clean pull. If the flesh resists or is rubbery, it has been overcooked.
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5
Transfer immediately to warm plates. Finish with a few flakes of fleur de sel, a drizzle of olive oil, a wedge of fresh lemon, and a sprig of Finochju Salvaticu. The cigale de mer must be eaten directly from the grill; it is not held.