Balsamic Glazed Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Ham

Gelson's Market in Pacific Grove, California, pulls through with the best Brussels sprouts I found in town for Thanksgiving - and I'm picky about my sprouts.  If fresh and not overcooked, these tasty treats are sweet and crunchy.

Here I pair with a mild ham and some Balsamic glaze - inspired by Ina Garten, one of my go-to cooking heroes.
4 cups Brussels sprouts, halved or quartered to a uniform 1-inch size
1 cup sliced purple Bermuda onion
1/2 lb ham steak, 1/4-3/8 inch thick, cubed
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp crushed dried red chili flakes, or to taste
about 1 Tbsp Balsamic glaze (see note)

Heat oven to 425F. Mix the Brussels sprouts and onion in a large bowl.

Brown the ham in a skillet with a dash of oil for about 5 minutes, until fragrant and slightly caramelized.

Tip into the veggie mix. Add the oil, salt and chili flakes, and mix well. Tip onto a rimmed baking sheet and spread to an even, single layer.

Roast in the oven for about 10 minutes and then stir. Continue roasting another 5 or so minutes until the veggies begin to brown well.

Now remove to the stovetop and sprinkle balsamic glaze all over the veggies generously - about one tablespoon, or to taste. Return the veggies to the oven and continue roasting for about another 5-10 minutes, until the veggies are nicely browned and slightly crispy at the edges. The sprouts should only be crisp-tender, not mushy, so judge cooking time by tasting a few.

Serves 4.

Pacific Thanksgiving Table

Cook's Note:  I've seen Ina use a wonderful syrupy Balsamic vinegar and pancetta.  But I don't know that I can find as good (syrupy) a vinegar as she.  So, I always have Trader Joe's Balsamic glaze on hand which I think works perfectly well here.  I also use great local ham steaks, though pancetta is fantastic as well.  I like the moist/crunch aspect of ham cubes, though the thin salty-crispy of Ina's pancetta is a delight as well.

Don't sweat it if the sprouts shed a bunch of leaves when you cut them - that's actually a good thing - they will brown and crisp up really well.   Even if the bulk sprout doesn't brown as much by the time it is crisp tender, you will get that crispy roasted effect for the overall dish nicely.