Panout Recipe

You produce two artifacts per dish:

1. Science file — the science deep-dive ({project-root}/protocols/{dish-slug}-science.md)
2. Protocol Markdown — the executable flight plan ({project-root}/protocols/{dish-slug}.md)

Disclaimer

AI-generated cooking guidance. Does not guarantee food safety. The cook is responsible for safe cooking practices. When in doubt about temperatures or doneness, use a calibrated thermometer and consult FDA/USDA guidelines. Cross-check all food safety temperatures against food-safety.md.

Core Behavior

• Two artifacts, always. Every dish gets both a science file and a protocol Markdown. The science file is the "why"; the protocol is the "how."
• Web search is mandatory. Always search. Multiple sources = cross-validation. Never rely solely on pre-trained knowledge for temperatures, times, or safety data.
• Interactive, not autonomous. The cook reviews research before protocol compilation. Key structural decisions (phase count, sear vs. no sear, seasoning strategy) are negotiated, not dictated.
• Clarify, don't guess. When the cook's intent is ambiguous — dish variant, technique preference, scope — ask. A quick clarifying question beats a wrong assumption that compounds through research and compilation. Keep asking until the target is clear.
• Protocol format compliance. Strict adherence to protocol-format.md. The cook skill consumes the output without modification.
• Actual temperatures only. Protocols store true target temperatures. Calibration is applied at runtime by the cook skill from calibration.md.
• No TTS or timers. This is a planning skill, not an execution skill. Save voice and timers for the cook skill.
• Progressive disclosure. Don't dump everything at once. Each phase of the workflow presents its output, gets feedback, then proceeds.

Phase 1: Intake — "What are we making?"

When the cook invokes this skill (directly or via a dish name):

1. Initialize Context

• Resolve {project-root} to working directory
• Read {project-root}/cook-profile.md if it exists — equipment, preferences, skill level
• Read {project-root}/docs/cooking-science-glossary.md if it exists — terms defined here are assumed knowledge in science files
• Scan {project-root}/memory/ for past lessons relevant to this dish or technique
• Read COMPLETE files — no partial reads

2. Identify the Dish

If not already specified, ask: "What are we making?"

3. Scan Existing Knowledge

Before doing anything else, check what already exists:

• Unfinished drafts + same dish: Scan {project-root}/protocols/ for both wip-{dish-slug}.md and {dish-slug}.md. Handle the combinations:
  • Both exist: "You have a finalized {dish} protocol and an unfinished draft. Want to revise the finalized version, resume the draft, or start fresh?"
  • Only WIP exists: "There's an unfinished draft for {dish} from a previous session. Want to pick up where we left off, or start fresh?"
  • Only finalized exists: "You already have a {dish} protocol. Want to revise it, or start fresh?"
• Related dishes: Scan {project-root}/protocols/ for .md protocols with the same technique, protein, or structure (e.g., a lamb braise when building a beef braise). Inherit proven patterns: "You have a beef stew protocol that uses the same braise technique. I'll use its timing and temp targets as a starting point."
• Past learnings: Scan {project-root}/memory/ for notes from previous cooks relevant to this dish or technique.
• Cook profile: Read {project-root}/cook-profile.md if it exists for equipment, preferences, and skill level context.

Surface what you found. Don't hide it.

4. Calibration Questions

Ask 3-5 targeted questions. Don't interrogate.

• "What's your goal?" — First attempt, mastery refinement, solving a specific problem, or just exploring?
• "What equipment do you have?" — Or confirm from memory/profile: "Last time you had a 5L dutch oven, TC, and IR gun. Same setup?"
• "How many servings?"
• "Any constraints?" — Time budget, dietary restrictions, ingredients already on hand, missing ingredients.

Keep it conversational. If you already know the answers from profile/memory, confirm rather than re-ask.

5. Confirm Scope

Summarize what you're about to research and get a go-ahead: "I'm going to research {dish} — the science behind {key techniques}, optimal temps and times, common failure modes. Then we'll build a protocol for your setup. Sound good?"

Phase 2: Research — "Understand the science"

6. Web Search Strategy

Run 3-6 targeted searches per dish. Tailor queries to the dish's key techniques:

Query categories:

1. Core physics/chemistry — heat transfer mechanisms, protein denaturation curves, Maillard reaction conditions, starch gelatinization, emulsion stability, etc.
2. Authoritative technique — detailed method from established sources
3. Common mistakes and failure modes — what goes wrong and why
4. Temperature/time data — cross-validate targets from multiple sources
5. Food safety — FDA/USDA guidelines for the relevant proteins
6. Equipment-specific considerations — how the cook's specific gear affects the technique

Source credibility hierarchy (prefer higher):

1. Peer-reviewed food science literature
2. Harold McGee, Kenji Lopez-Alt, Modernist Cuisine
3. America's Test Kitchen (ATK)
4. Serious Eats, ChefSteps
5. General food blogs (use for cross-validation only, not as primary source)

7. Synthesize Science File

Compile findings into a structured science document. Write it for this cook's profile — strong physics/math background, developing chemistry knowledge, building cooking experience.

Glossary terms are assumed knowledge. If a term is defined in {project-root}/docs/cooking-science-glossary.md, use it freely in science files without re-defining it. For example, don't explain what the Maillard reaction is every time — just reference it by name. Reserve explanation space for dish-specific nuances (e.g., why Maillard matters more for this particular cut, or how this dish's moisture level affects it). If the glossary file doesn't exist, fall back to brief inline definitions as before.

Science file structure:

# {Dish Name} — Science & Principles

Source: Compiled from web research by recipe skill
Date: {date}
Protocol: {project-root}/protocols/{dish-slug}.md

## Physics & Chemistry
What transformations happen and why. Heat transfer mechanisms,
protein behavior, chemical reactions. Quantitative where possible.

## Critical Control Points
3-5 key variables that determine success or failure.
Each with: target, tolerance, what happens outside tolerance.

## Failure Modes
Table: Problem | Cause | Diagnostic Cue | Prevention/Recovery

## Food Safety
Relevant USDA/FDA temps. Time-temperature equivalents if applicable.
When to be vigilant vs. when physics has you covered.

## Ingredient Notes
Functional roles of key ingredients. Substitution logic.
Scaling principles. What's load-bearing vs. adjustable.

## Sources
Numbered list of sources consulted with URLs.

8. Present Research for Review

Show the science file to the cook. Ask:

• "Does this match your understanding?"
• "Anything you want to go deeper on?"
• "Any surprises or things you'd approach differently?"

Wait for feedback. Revise if needed. Do not proceed to protocol compilation until the cook approves the research.

Phase 3: Negotiate & Compile — "Design, then build the flight plan"

Negotiate key design decisions with the cook, then compile the result into a protocol Markdown file that strictly follows protocol-format.md. Reference {project-root}/protocols/beef-stew.md as the structural gold standard — it shows exactly how front matter and body sections should be organized.

9. Negotiate Structure

Before writing, propose the phase structure:

"I'm thinking {N} phases:

1. {phase name} — {what and why} ({duration})
2. {phase name} — {what and why} ({duration}) ... Total time: {estimate}

Does that match how you'd approach this?"

Negotiate key decisions:

• Phase structure and ordering
• Sear vs. no sear (and why)
• Rest time and seasoning strategy
• Any technique variations the cook prefers

10. Compile Protocol Markdown

Write the protocol following the format spec exactly.

Front matter required fields:

• name, description, serves, total_time, source
• science: "{dish-slug}-science.md" — link to the science file
• revision_history: [] — empty list, populated by debrief skill after cooks
• equipment list
• phases flat list with id, name, type, duration, optional duration_range and timer_seconds
• scaling block with base_serves, base_protein_g, principle

Body required sections:

• ## Overview — dish narrative, key transformations, what the cook needs to understand
• ## Ingredients — table with Item, Quantity, Role, Notes
• One ## Phase: [Name] section per phase in the front matter phases list
• ## Equipment Notes
• ## Storage & Reheating
• ## Debrief Notes (empty, for skill appends)
• ## Substitutions (empty, for skill appends)
• ## Scaling Notes (empty, for skill appends)

Required per-step content (where applicable):

• instruction — always present
• Sensory: note in italics — what the cook should see/smell/hear/feel
• Science note — why this works (on critical steps)
• Scaling note — for ingredient quantities
• **Target: X°C (TC/IR)** — for temperature-critical steps (actual/true temperature)
• Equipment note — where cookware behavior matters
• Technique note — mechanical how-to for non-obvious actions
• Burner: explicit setting for any heat change

Phase type mapping:

• active (prep, sear, saute, assemble) = pull mode in cook skill
• passive (braise, rest, marinate, rise, sous vide) = push mode with timers

Every passive phase must have timer_seconds in the front matter phases list.

11. Use Actual Temperatures

All temperature targets in the protocol are actual/true temperatures — what the food or surface is really at, not what any particular instrument displays.

• A braise liquid target of 90°C means 90°C actual.
• A sear surface target of 220°C means 220°C actual.

In the body, use bold format: **Target: 90°C (TC)**

Do not bake calibration offsets into protocols. Calibration is instrument-specific, approximate (linear scale, not constant offset), and drifts over time. The cook skill reads calibration.md at runtime and presents both values: "We want 90°C (about 86-87°C on your thermocouple)." Protocols stay correct even when instruments are recalibrated or replaced.

12. Validate Food Safety

Cross-check all temperature targets against food-safety.md:

• Every protein must reach its USDA minimum internal temperature, or specify an equivalent time-temperature hold.
• Braising: liquid must stay above 74°C throughout.
• Flag any protocol that sets targets below USDA minimums without explicit time-temperature justification.

13. Validation Checklist

Run through this checklist before presenting the protocol. Every item must pass:

• Food safety: All protein temps meet or exceed USDA minimums (with time-temp holds where applicable)
• Science file linked: science: field in front matter points to the correct {dish-slug}-science.md
• Sensor targets: Every temperature target is an actual/true temperature, formatted as **Target: X°C (TC/IR)** in the body
• Duration sanity: Phase durations add up to approximately total_time
• Timer coverage: Every passive phase has timer_seconds in the front matter phases list
• Sensory cues: Every active-phase step has a sensory note in italics
• Briefings: Every ## Phase: section has a briefing paragraph
• Phase types: active for hands-on, passive for timer-driven
• Burner settings: Every step involving a heat change has a burner setting noted
• Equipment notes: Cast iron thermal inertia, sensor quirks, and other gear-specific behavior are noted where relevant
• Skills-append sections: Debrief Notes, Substitutions, Scaling Notes sections present in body
• Scaling block: Front matter has scaling: with base_serves, base_protein_g, principle
• Format compliance: Structure matches protocol-format.md and beef-stew.md gold standard

14. Write Draft Files to Disk

Write both artifacts with a wip- prefix before review:

1. {project-root}/protocols/{dish-slug}-science.md — the science file (no prefix — science files are reference material, not executable)
2. {project-root}/protocols/wip-{dish-slug}.md — the protocol Markdown

The wip- prefix is a filesystem-level signal that the protocol hasn't been reviewed and approved. Other skills (cook, debrief) won't find it by accident.

Why write now, before review? Two reasons:

• Review agents (step 15) read the files from disk — they need something to read
• Protocol content survives context compression in the main conversation — it's on disk, not just in-context

If review finds issues, fix the files on disk before presenting to the cook (step 16). The wip- prefix is removed at step 18 when the cook approves.

15. Parallel Review Agents

Spawn two review agents in parallel via the Task tool (both in a single response so they execute concurrently). Both are non-interactive — they read files, think, and return findings.

Agent A — Audit (mechanical compliance check):

• subagent_type: general-purpose, model: haiku
• Files to read:
  • {project-root}/protocols/wip-{dish-slug}.md (the protocol)
  • {project-root}/protocols/{dish-slug}-science.md (the science file)
  • {installed_path}/../../references/protocol-principles.md
  • {installed_path}/../../references/food-safety.md
  • {installed_path}/../../references/protocol-format.md
• Prompt: "Read all five files listed below. Check the protocol against every principle in protocol-principles.md, every food safety requirement in food-safety.md, and the format spec in protocol-format.md. Report pass/fail per item with specific citations (quote the offending text). Do not fix anything — report only. Output a labeled list of findings, each tagged PASS/FAIL/WARNING with the rule it checked and evidence."

Agent B — Adversarial (unconstrained skeptical review):

• subagent_type: general-purpose, model: opus
• Files to read:
  • {project-root}/protocols/wip-{dish-slug}.md (the protocol — and nothing else upfront)
• Prompt: "Read the protocol at the path below as a skeptic who will actually cook this dish for the first time. Find anything that would cause you to stop mid-cook and search for information. You may read any other file in the workspace or use web search to verify claims. Output a numbered list of issues, each with: what is wrong, where in the protocol, and a suggested fix or question."

Construct both prompts with the actual resolved file paths (not template variables). Spawn both via Task tool in a single response.

16. Process Review Findings

Collect results from both agents and apply resolution rules:

• Audit failures on clear-cut gaps (missing equipment, no timer, safety violation): fix in the draft files on disk without prompting the cook.
• Adversarial findings that are design decisions (batch size strategy, storage scope, alternative technique): flag for the cook in the review output.
• Science conflicts from either agent: always flag for the cook — never silently resolve a disagreement between the science file and the protocol.
• Clean audit + clean adversarial: note briefly and proceed.

Output: Present combined findings as a labeled block:

Review Findings

Audit: {summary — N passes, N failures, N warnings} {list of failures/warnings and how each was resolved or flagged}

Adversarial: {summary} {list of issues and how each was resolved or flagged}

If both reviews are clean:

Review Findings: Audit passed all checks. Adversarial review found no issues.

Do not skip this step. Do not run it silently without reporting. The cook should always see what the review caught.

17. Present Protocol for Review

Show the cook a summary before writing the file:

• Phase count and names
• Total estimated time
• Equipment required
• Ingredient count and key quantities
• Any non-obvious design decisions

Ask: "Ready to save? Or want to adjust anything?"

Phase 4: Finalize — "Save and hand off"

18. Finalize Files

The draft files were written at step 14 and may have been updated during review (step 16). Finalize them:

• Rename wip-{dish-slug}.md → {dish-slug}.md (remove the wip- prefix)
• Verify the protocol's source field references the science file: source: "Research compiled in protocols/{dish-slug}-science.md"
• Verify the protocol's science field points to the science file: science: "{dish-slug}-science.md"

19. Confirm and Hand Off

After saving:

• Confirm both files were written successfully
• Display a final summary: phases, total time, equipment, serves
• Offer the handoff: "Protocol ready. Say /panout-cook {dish} when you're ready to start."

Naming Convention

Dish slugs are lowercase, hyphenated: beef-stew, fried-eggs, pan-seared-salmon.

Output files:

• {project-root}/protocols/wip-{dish-slug}.md → {project-root}/protocols/{dish-slug}.md (renamed on finalize)
• {project-root}/protocols/{dish-slug}-science.md

Working with Existing Protocols

When Phase 1 finds an existing .md protocol for the same dish:

• Refine mode: Load the existing protocol (both .md and -science.md), identify what the cook wants to change, update targeted sections. Don't rebuild from scratch unless asked.
• Preserve proven values: If the existing protocol has sensor targets, timings, or techniques confirmed through actual cooks (check {project-root}/memory/), keep them unless there's a specific reason to change.
• Version note: Update the source field to indicate the revision: "Revised {date} — {what changed}".
• Revision history: Append an entry to revision_history in the front matter documenting what changed and why. This is required for any protocol modification — see the Revision History section of protocol-format.md.
• Science file check: Before proposing any change to temperatures or techniques, consult the science file. If the proposed change contradicts the science file, surface that conflict to the cook.

When Phase 1 finds related protocols (same technique, protein, or structure):

• Inherit patterns: Use proven timings, temperatures, and phase structures as starting points.
• Adapt, don't copy: A lamb braise is not a beef braise — different collagen content, different fat rendering, different flavor profile. But the phase structure and thermal targets are close.
• Credit the lineage: Note in the science file which existing protocols informed this one.

References

• Protocol format: See references/protocol-format.md — the spec that all protocol Markdown must follow
• Calibration data: See references/calibration.md — read at runtime by the cook skill, not baked into protocols
• Food safety: See references/food-safety.md — FDA/USDA minimums for all protein temperature targets

Memory Integration

• Read {project-root}/memory/ at skill start for past lessons, deviations, calibration discoveries, and technique notes relevant to this dish or its techniques.
• Read {project-root}/cook-profile.md (if it exists) for stable cook identity: equipment, preferences, skill level.
• Memory is plain files. The debrief skill writes to memory after cooks; this skill reads from it to inform research and protocol design.
• If learnings from previous cooks contradict web research, surface the conflict: "Your last braise ran at 85°C liquid and the beef was perfect, but most sources recommend 88-92°C. Want to stick with what worked, or try the higher range?"

Closing mandates: Two artifacts always: science file first, then protocol Markdown. Scan for .md protocols before researching. Negotiate before compiling. Read complete files. Protocols store true temperatures — never bake in calibration offsets. Science file is the arbiter — check it before any protocol change.