In October, I traveled to Northern Wisconsin with my old buddy Simbo. We fished the Manistique River that is on Michigan’s upper peninsula. We were fishing for steelhead and we got skunked. It was the first of a series of fishing trips intended to follow the Hemingway path, casting in the shadow of big Ernest. On our way home, we stopped for breakfast at a spot in Lena called JoJo’s. The town is perfectly positioned as we head back to the Green Bay airport from my Mom’s cabin in the North Woods.

As much as we liked the dish we had for breakfast at JoJo’s, I was committed to switch it up and make it mine for The Little Kitchen.

This version of JoJo cakes takes a straightforward potato cake to another level. The choice of Andouille sausage comes naturally for us as it is a mainstay in our kitchen. You could use chorizo or any other spiced pork sausage and achieve a similar effect. If you would like a nice lunch idea using this recipe, consider replacing the poached eggs with grilled salmon. It sells well at Estia’s Little Kitchen that way too.

JoJo Cakes for Four

2 medium Idaho potatoes, shredded with a mandolin, boil in salted water for 1 minute, drain and place on paper towel until dry

1-cup mirepoix (finely diced celery, carrot and onion equal parts)

½-cup Andouille, diced

½-cup fresh corn kernels

2-tbsp butter

1-cup pancake batter

4-cups fresh chopped spinach

8 large fresh eggs

4-tbsp olive oil

salt, pepper, ground cumin

Place the mirepoix, sausage, corn and butter in a pan over medium heat. Season with salt, pepper and ground cumin. Once the onions soften, transfer the sautéed product to a bowl. Add the potatoes and one-cup of pancake batter and mix. Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle to high heat. Add a touch of oil, then pour the JoJo batter into a round steel form (or not, if you don’t have one). After two minutes, flip and remove the form.

While the JoJo cakes cook, poach eggs and sauté spinach with a little olive oil and seasoning salt. Plate the JoJo cakes after they have cooked through. Top with spinach and then the poached eggs.