In a large skillet, sauté minced sweet onion in 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil until softened and caramelized.

Add smashed garlic cloves and ground lamb or beef to the skillet, and mix well.

Add plain tomato sauce, fresh oregano, and mint, and season with kosher salt.

Add 1 and 1/2 cups of water and 1 cup of white long-grain rice to the skillet and simmer for about 12 minutes until the rice is parboiled.

Open a 16-ounce jar of grape leaves in brine and soak them in water for 10 minutes.

Drain the grape leaves and line the bottom of a 12-inch skillet with several of them.

Take a tablespoon of filling and place it in the center of a grape leaf, then roll it up, tucking the sides in as you go.

Repeat this process with the remaining grape leaves and filling until you have about 70 dolmades.

Place the dolmades in a circular pattern in the skillet, and add in 1 lemon’s worth of juice, along with bay leaves and 2 cups of water.

Top with a few more grape leaves to seal in the flavors, and then place a plate upside down on top of the dolmades to weigh them down.

Cover the skillet and place it over medium heat, bringing it to a boil before reducing to a simmer for about an hour. The dolmades are ready when the liquid has reduced by about half.

In a small pot, simmer 1 cup of low-sodium chicken broth.

In a separate bowl, mix together the zest and juice of 2 lemons, along with 3 large eggs and a pinch of salt.

Slowly add in half of the simmering broth, whisking vigorously, before returning the mixture to the pot and stirring for about 7 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Strain the sauce through a sieve to remove any egg bits or zest.

Once the dolmades are done, serve them with the lemon sauce on top for a perfect balance of flavors.