Clams Casino

Cover a baking sheet with a thick, even layer of rock salt or kosher salt.
Shuck the clams, wearing a shucking glove for safety.
Hold a clam securely while you insert a shucking knife between the shells.
Pry the shells apart, and sever the adductor muscle connecting the shells.
Discard the top shell.
Loosen the clam meat and the muscle in the lower shell.
Nestle the shucked clams in the prepared salt tray.
Cover and refrigerate the shucked clams while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Cook the bacon until it is crisp, about 8 minutes.
Transfer to paper towels, reserving rendered bacon fat in the skillet.
Cook the bell pepper, shallot, garlic, and oregano in the remaining bacon fat until the shallots are tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the wine and the lemon juice and simmer until the liquid has almost completely evaporated.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and cool slightly.
Stir the reserved bacon, 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, and the lemon zest into the cooled vegetable mixture.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat the oven to 500°F.
Spoon 1-2 teaspoons of the bacon and vegetable mixture onto each clam, mounding the topping slightly.
Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
Bake until the clams are cooked through and the topping is golden, about 10 minutes.