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1
Prepare a wood-ember grill to a strong, even heat with no open flame. While the grill heats, split the live langouste lengthwise with a single decisive stroke of a heavy chef's knife through the head, then continuing through the tail. Reserve any coral and tomalley for the optional sauce. The two halves should lie fully flat — if they curl, press gently; a flat surface is required for even caramelisation.
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2
Combine the Corsican olive oil, crushed garlic, stripped nepita leaves, and sea salt. Brush this mixture generously into the cut cavity of both halves. The nepita must be applied now, into the raw flesh, not after cooking — this is the preparation's defining step and where the dish lives or dies: nepita applied post-cook does not penetrate the flesh and the herb imprint is absent.
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3
Lay both halves cut-side down on the grill. Cook for six to eight minutes without moving them. The correct sequence is cut-side first: the exposed flesh must caramelise directly over the embers before the shell can insulate it. Listen for a steady, moderate sizzle throughout; a silence indicates the grill has lost heat and caramelisation will not form.
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4
Flip both halves to shell-side down and cook for a further four minutes. The shell now acts as a heat conductor, steaming the interior to finish. Total grill time must not exceed twelve minutes. The flesh is done when it is opaque white-pink throughout with slight char at the cut surface and no grey translucency visible at the thickest point of the tail.
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5
If making the coral sauce, whisk the reserved coral and tomalley with Corsican olive oil and lemon zest into a loose emulsion. Serve alongside, not over the flesh. Plate each half with a wedge of cédrat. The finish on the palate should be sweet, clean, and firm-yielding, with nepita lingering; any rubbery or stringy resistance in the tail flesh indicates over-cooking or frozen-thawed product.