Ingredients

• 1 small leg or half leg of lamb (about 1.25kg/2 1/2 lb)

• 15ml/1 tbsp dried oregano

• 5ml/1 tsp ground cumin

• 5ml/1 tsp hot chili powder

• 2 garlic cloves

• 45ml/3 tbsp olive oil

• 30ml/2 tbsp red wine vinegar

• salt and ground black pepper

• fresh oregano sprigs, to garnish

Serves 4

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 220C. Place the leg of lamb on a large chopping board.

2. Place the oregano, cumin, chili powder and one of the garlic cloves, crushed, into a bowl. Pour on half of the olive oil and mix well to form a paste. Set the paste aside.

3. Using a sharp knife, make a criss-cross pattern of fairly deep slits going through the skin and just into the meat of the leg of lamb. Press the spice paste into the meat slits with the back of a round-bladed knife.

4. Peel and slice the remaining garlic clove thinly and cut each slice in half again. Push the pieces of garlic deeply into the slits made in the meat.

5. Mix the vinegar and remaining oil, our over the joint and season with salt and pepper.

6. Bake for about 15 minutes at the higher temperature, then reduce the heat to 180C and cook for a further 1 1/4 hours (or a little longer if you like your meat well dine).

7. Serve the lamb with a delicious gravy made with the spicy pan juices and garnish with oregano sprigs.