Yes, extremely weird, I know. Who knew the lowly turnip could make such a brilliant toasted sandwich filling? Humble vegetable meets one of the most fabulous inventions to come out of the seventies: the sandwich toaster.

Whatever what made me think of this combination? Looking for something similar to my cheese and carrot toastie probably! As in, what other root vegetable can I use? Ah, turnip. What would it work with? Ah, yes, bacon. Oh and onion, slow fried until it's sweet.

Gentle frying turns the turnip meltingly mellow, contrasting beautifully with the salty bacon and savoury, slow-fried onion.

Maybe not that humble a turnip, I did use a Purple Top Milan, one of the varieties specially bred to harvest when small and tender. Crisp, refreshing and peppery raw (eat tiny ones unpeeled as you would radishes, fantastic sprinkled with sea salt or as part of a salad) the flavour mellows when cooked. Eat as fresh as possible for the sweetest flavour.

The leafy green tops are highly nutritious and nicely peppery: eat young leaves raw and older ones lightly steamed or stir-fried. (Don't try this with swede: I have done and they tasted disgustingly of petrol of all things!)

Easy to grow at home, they are usually on sale in supermarkets during the colder months.

Turnip Toastie Recipe

For one large or 2 small sandwiches (depending on bread size) per person: gently fry ½ diced onion and 2 rashers of streaky bacon until onion soft and bacon just taking on colour. Stir in 50g peeled, grated turnip and season with freshly ground black pepper. Continue to cook until turnip soft.

Butter the bread (remember in a sandwich toaster, the buttered side is on the outside so you get that classic lovely golden crunchy crust) arrange filling inside and toast in the sandwich toaster.

I made the ones in the photo in our grill/ panini maker as I wanted to show you the filling oozing out. I missed the distinctive endearing sandwich toaster moulding though. Think I’ll use the actual sandwich toaster next time.