Drizzle each clam with some of the bacon drippings for extra flavor. Spoon bacon and bell pepper mixture over the top of each clam, distributing evenly.

Spoon the breadcrumb mixture on top of each clam, and gently pack it down a bit with the back of the spoon or your hands.

Mix together in a bowl the panko breadcrumbs, butter, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the chopped parsley, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Worcestershire sauce, wine, the juice of ½ the lemon, sea salt, and ground pepper.

Transfer the bacon and peppers to a bowl using a slotted spoon.

Add the diced bell pepper and shallot, and sauté for 2 minutes.

Sauté the bacon for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until it is beginning to get crispy edges.

Heat a skillet over medium heat, and add the diced bacon.

Try to reserve as much of the juices in the shell as possible. Twist the knife to pry open the shell, and twist off the top of the shell using your hands.

Slide a shucking knife into each clam to separate the flesh from the top shell.

Remove from the oven, and allow them to cool enough to handle.

Broil the clams for about 5 minutes, or until the shells pop open.

Dry the clams, then spread them on a baking sheet. Remove the clams from the water, taking care to not lift up the sand that has collected in the bottom of the bowl. Scrub the clams well, then let them sit in the bowl for 30 minutes.

Fill a large bowl or jar with very cold and heavily salted water.

If you find a mud-filled center, a possible though unlikely scenario, toss it and be glad that it didn't get into your food. If there's a plump clam inside that smells fine, then go ahead and use it. In the rare event that a clam absolutely refuses to open even after prolonged cooking, try sliding a knife between the shells. And even when they do, in some cases they'll open just a crack and not all the way, which is fine-just pry the shells open. Some clams will take a surprisingly long time to pop open during cooking, but they almost always will eventually. So, most importantly, don't buy or cook clams that are wide open and refuse to close when prodded, because they really are dead and could make you sick. The only clear sign of a dead clam is a clam that's gaping open. A clam that's closed tight is a live clam fighting a respectable-but futile-battle. Second, there's a bit of folk wisdom out there that claims you shouldn't eat a clam that refuses to open during cooking.

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