Dark Chocolate and Orange Pork Carnitas

Score the pork belly skin in a crosshatch pattern, cutting about 1/4 inch deep. Rub all over with cumin, smoked paprika, and salt, pressing into the slits. Zest the orange directly into the rub. Stuff slivers of garlic into the score marks. Let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Heat a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over high heat with olive oil until shimmering. Sear the pork belly skin-side down for 4 minutes until deeply golden. Flip and cook 2 more minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low.

Pour in chicken broth, then whisk cocoa powder into the liquid until fully dissolved. Squeeze in the juice of 1 orange and 1/2 lime. Nestle the spent citrus halves into the pot.

Cover and braise on low heat for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, flipping the pork halfway, until the meat is completely tender and yielding to gentle pressure.

Remove pork to a cutting board. Using two forks, pull the meat into rough, generous chunks. Skim excess fat from the braising liquid and reduce by half over high heat until glossy and sauce-like.

Whisk the remaining cocoa powder and lime juice into the reduced sauce. Return the pulled pork to the pot and toss thoroughly, coating every piece in the dark, complex glaze.

For crispy carnitas, heat a cast iron skillet over high heat. Add the glazed pork in a single layer without crowding. Let it char undisturbed for 3 minutes, then toss and cook 2 more minutes until edges are caramelized and crispy. Finish with a pinch of salt and a final squeeze of lime.

Serve the carnitas immediately while the edges are still crackling. Garnish with a curl of orange zest and fresh lime wedges on the side. The contrast of crispy, cocoa-glazed pork against bright citrus is exactly the sweet-savory tension Lola demands at dinner.