SERVES 4

Chef Reed Hearon serves this spicy dish at Rose Pistola's, his San Francisco eatery.

1 tsp. fennel seeds, toasted and crushed
1 bunch fresh parsley, trimmed
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tbsp. red pepper flakes
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cooked 2-lb. dungeness crabs
1 lemon, quartered

1. Combine fennel seeds, parsley, thyme, garlic, red pepper flakes, and oil in a food processor. Pulse until puréed.

2. Pull top shell off crabs and remove gray gills. Scoop out and discard any soft fat. Crack legs with a nutcracker and split crabs in half down middle. Place in a shallow baking dish, pour marinade over crabs, cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours.

3. Preheat oven to 400°. Roast crabs, uncovered, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cut crabs into sections between the legs and garnish with lemon quarters.