1/4 lb. butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c. finely diced green pepper
1/4 c. finely diced onion
Cayenne pepper
1 dozen top neck or cherrystone clams
3 strips bacon, quartered
1 lemon, quartered

Melt butter on low heat. Add garlic, peppers and onions and saute for 5 minutes. Add a pinch of cayenne and stir thoroughly. Set aside. Open the clams and leave on the half shell. Place clams on a baking dish. Use lightly crumbled aluminum foil as a base for clams to stabilize them if necessary.

Place 1 teaspoon of the butter mixture on each clam and top each with a piece of bacon. Place baking dish in a 450 degree oven and bake until bacon appears cooked but not crisp. Run under broiler to lightly crisp the bacon. Remove from oven and lightly sprinkle lemon juice and over each clam.

Serves 4.