Greek Dolmades With Avgolemono Sauce

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1. 1Step 1: Blanch the grape leaves, if freshly picked.
2. 2Step 2: Remove stems from dill and chop finely.
3. 3Step 3: Dice the onion.
4. 4Step 4: Fill a large mixing bowl filled 2/3 of the way full with cold water and ice cubes.
5. 5Step 5: Fill a large pot 2/3 of the way full with water and bring to a boil.
6. 6Step 6: Once the water is boiling, place several leaves in the pot with a skimmer spoon or strainer ladle. Press the leaves down gently with a ladle to ensure they are fully submerged in the boiling water. Let the leaves sit in the boiling water for a minute, or until the color has changed to a greenish-brown hue.
7. 7Step 7: After a minute, or until the color of the leaves has changed, remove them from the boiling water and immediately submerge in ice water to stop the heat from continuing to cook the leaves.
8. 8Step 8: Remove the leaves from the ice water with the strainer ladle and put them on a plate. Pat the grape leaves with a paper towel to blot them dry.
9. 9Step 9: Repeat these steps until all of the leaves for your batch of Dolmades are blanched.
10. 10Step 10: In a large mixing bowl, add the ground beef and pour in the lemon juice. Crack two large whole large eggs and add them to the mixture. Add in the freeze-dried mint and combine all ingredients by hand; do not overmix.
11. 11Step 11: Add the chopped dill and onion to the mixture. Sprinkle in the sea salt flakes and once again combine the mixture by hand. Again, do not overwork so that the filling doesn’t become too dense.
12. 12Step 12: Add the uncooked rice to and mix until all ingredients are combined.
13. 13Step 13: To add the filling to the grape leaves, lay each grape leaf flat and add a spoonful or so of filling.
14. 14Step 14: Roll each individual grape leaf with filling.
15. 15Step 15: Melt butter in a pot and pack the grape leaves tightly and layer. Cover with broth, created by mixing water & Better than Bouillon, and cook at a low simmer for at least an hour or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
16. 16Step 16: Once cooked, remove Dolmades from pot to serve and drizzle with Avgolemono Sauce.
17. 17Step 17: Mix together cold water with cornstarch until all clumps have subsided and it becomes a milky liquid; set aside.
18. 18Step 18: Fill your pot with the broth remaining from the cooked Dolmades. Supplement with water and Better than Bouillon if additional liquid is needed. Let this warm up and come to a simmer.
19. 19Step 19: Crack a large whole egg and an egg white in a separate mixing bowl and beat the eggs with a hand mixer until a smooth texture is achieved.
20. 20Step 20: While beating the eggs, add in the lemon juice.
21. 21Step 21: Continue beating the mixture and add in eight egg yolks, one at a time.
22. 22Step 22: Add in the water & cornstarch mixture and continue beating with the hand mixer.
23. 23Step 23: Begin to temper combining the hot broth into the egg-lemon mixture, one ladle full at a time. Continue to beat the mixture simultaneously.
24. 24Step 24: Repeat the tempering process a handful of times until the egg mixture has warmed up. Once warm, slowly pour the mixture into the pot with the hot broth on the stovetop.
25. 25Step 25: Add salt and/or black pepper to you preferred taste and whisk all ingredients until they are smooth and fully combined.