Unbeautiful vegetarian broccoli casserole

The nutritional plan I'm currently testing categorizes foods very clearly: beautiful and unbeautiful. Broccoli is beautiful; cheese is unbeautiful. Broccoli has vitamin C, calcium, beta-carotene and fiber. Cheese obstructs digestion, but is disarmingly delicious. So I decided to marry the two, mostly because I had a package of cheese left in the fridge that I wasn't going to throw away. So, broccoli casserole it is! A green dish that's not pretty according to Kim Snyder's rules, but that certainly looks pretty on a plate. With this, I'm also going to say goodbye to dairy for a while. So enjoy every bite!

Unbeautiful vegetarian broccoli casserole

3 or 4 heads broccoli, cut into florets
1 can water chestnuts, sliced
1 cup of shredded cheese of your choice (if given the choice, always go for raw goat's milk Cheddar or Jack)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 egg
2 small jalapeno peppers, minced
2 tsp paprika

Mayonnaise:
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tbsp mustard
juice of 1/2 lemon

First, prepare the mayonnaise. I always make my own, and this is how: place the two egg yolks in a glass bowl. Start adding olive oil little by little and stir very fast. It's important to stir this constantly and quickly, otherwise the mixture can get separated and the mayonnaise is ruined (If this happens, add a tablespoon of milk and mix very fast, that should mend it). Stirring constantly, continue adding the oil little by little until you incorporate all of it. The mixture should be creamy but thick. Add the mustard and stir well. Add the lemon juice at the end and mix well. At this point you can actually taste the mayonnaise and add more lemon juice if you like.

Beat the egg well in a large bowl. Add the chopped onion, chestnuts, jalapenos and broccoli florets and mix. Stir in 2/3 of the shredded cheese and lastly, add the mayonnaise. 

Grease a 9 x 13 pan with olive oil and pour the mixture into it. Sprinkle the remaining cheese. Sprinkle paprika on top. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes, or until it looks amber and crispy.