1. Rinse and scrub clams under cold water and soak in salted water for 20 minutes to purge sand

2. Discard any clams that remain open after tapping

3. Shuck each clam with a clam knife, retaining the bottom shell and placing meat on baking sheet

4. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C)

5. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until lightly crisp, then crumble and set aside

6. Sauté garlic, shallot, red and green bell peppers in bacon fat until fragrant

7. Melt butter in the pan and stir in breadcrumbs until coated

8. Mix in chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper

9. Spoon about a teaspoon of breadcrumb mixture onto each clam and top with crumbled bacon

10. Bake clams for 8–10 minutes until breadcrumbs are golden and butter bubbles

11. Let rest for 1–2 minutes, garnish with parsley or lemon zest, and serve with lemon wedges