Instructions

1. Rinse the clams off with cold water. Add the rinsed clams to a large bowl filled with cold water, enough to cover the clams. Let the clams soak for at least 20 minutes or up to an hour. Scoop the clams out with your hands and into a colander. Rinse the clams and then scrub each clam well to make sure all the sand has been removed.
2. Add the clams to a large pot and fill with a few inches of cold water. Squeeze in the lemon wedges and bring to a boil. Cover and steam for 10 minutes or until the clams open. If any clams aren’t opened you can steam them for a few more minutes, after that, any clams that haven’t opened need to be discarded. Drain the water and let the clams cool.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
4. While the clams are steaming, make the topped by melting 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet. Once the butter has melted, add the onions and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, salt and pepper and stir.
5. Pour the breadcrumbs into the skillet and toss to coat in the butter. Add the lemon juice, white wine, parsley, Old Bay and stir. The mixture should be wet and clump together slightly. If it needs more moisture, add a splash more wine and/or lemon juice.
6. Separate the top shell from the clams and place on a baking sheet. Using a knife, separate the clams from the bottom shell and then top with the breadcrumb mixture, dividing between all the clams. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the clams.
7. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes until the topping is golden brown. Serve with more melted butter and lemon wedges.