First - Sauté 1 cup of fresh bread crumbs in 3 tablespoon of butter until crisp and golden.

3  slices of lean bacon - cut crosswise into sixths or eighths.
3  tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2  tablespoons minced scallion
1  tablespoon minced bottled roasted red pepper
Tabasco or hot pepper sauce to taste
12 medium  (little neck) hard-shelled clams,  shucked, reserving the bottom shells
lemon juice to taste

    In a skillet cook the bacon over moderate heat, turning it once, until it is golden but soft, transfer it to paper towels to drain, and reserve it. In a small bowl stir together the butter, scallion, roasted pepper, hot pepper sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Arrange the reserved clam shells in a baking pan just large enough to hold them in one layer and divide the butter mixture among them. Top the butter mixture with the clams, sprinkle with the bread crumbs and sprinkle with lemon juice. Place a piece of bacon on each clam. Bake the clams in a preheated 450 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes.       Serves 2