1. Lightly butter a large, shallow, rectangular, glass or ceramic baking dish. Set aside.

2. Trim and peel the stems of the broccoli heads, if needed, so that they are 6-8 long overall. Slice the heads along their length into spears, as shown in the photo above. Boil or microwave the broccoli spears until just tender and bright green. Drain well. Put the cooked broccoli spears in the prepared baking dish, as shown in the photo above, in alternating rows so that the florets are positioned along the long side of the baking dish.

3. Place the sliced turkey or chicken on top of the broccoli in the prepared baking dish.

4. In a casserole pan, sauté the mushrooms on medium heat until lightly browned. Transfer the mushrooms to the prepared baking dish, sprinkling them on top of the turkey or chicken, as shown in the photo above. Retain the remaining drippings in the casserole pan.

5. On medium heat in the same casserole pan used to sauté the mushrooms, whisk flour into the remaining drippings and sauté for approximately 1-2 minutes until golden. Gradually (important!) add the broth and lemon juice, continuously whisking as you do so, until a smooth, thick sauce is achieved.

6. Place the egg yolk a small bowl. Whisk the half-and-half into the yolk. Very gradually (important!) add the egg yolk/half-and-half mixture to the sauce simmering in the casserole pan, whisking well as you do so. Remove casserole pan from the heat and add grated cheese, stirring well until melted and well incorporated. Taste and correct the seasoning of the sauce, adding salt and pepper to taste.

7. Drizzle the sauce on the sliced turkey or chicken in the prepared baking dish. Top with bread crumbs or panko.

cooking

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes until the topping is lightly browned and the broccoli tender. Serves 4-6.