Roasted Clams with Bacon

Directions

1. 1
   Place the clams in a bowl of cool water with a few big pinches of salt and a handful of cornmeal or flour.
2. 2
   Leave in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight so that the clams will purge themselves of sand or other foreign matter.
3. 3
   Scrub the clams to remove exterior dirt, and place them in a bowl of very hot water for 5 to 10 minutes to facilitate opening them.
4. 4
   Meanwhile, preheat a broiler.
5. 5
   In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the topping and mix well.
6. 6
   Working over a bowl to catch any clam juice, insert a clam knife or a small, sturdy paring knife between a clams shells and, with a horizontal movement, open the clam, thrusting the blade toward the muscle on the base of the shell.
7. 7
   Detach the flesh from the shell cavity to make it easier to lift out when eating.
8. 8
   Leave the whole clam meat in one of its shells and discard the other shell.
9. 9
   Repeat with the other clams.
10. 10
    Spoon an equal amount of the topping atop each clam.
11. 11
    Drizzle a little of the clam juice from the bowl over the topping, then sprinkle lightly with a little wine to keep the clams moist and prevent them from burning.
12. 12
    Place the clams in a flameproof baking dish and place the dish 9 inches from the broiler.
13. 13
    Broil for about 6 minutes, watching carefully to be sure the topping does not burn.
14. 14
    If it browns too quickly, move the rack farther from the flame and add a little more clam juice or wine to the top of the clams before returning them to the oven.
15. 15
    Serve hot with lemon wedges.