I’m a newlywed. My husband Pete and I got hitched in October and then dashed off to a honeymoon in Europe. Our first and longest stop was Seville, in southern Spain’s Andalucia region, for some much-needed de-stressing and relaxing. Of course, the food and the wine there only encouraged those activities.

We could not get enough of the tapas: anchovies, octopus, Serrano ham and manchego cheese. I researched restaurants and had our dining options mapped out every night. To fill the time before and after dinner, we found places that weren’t in the guide books — corner joints and holes-in-the-wall in back alleys.

We took a day trip to Cadiz and sat down at a table on the sidewalk on a busy street. Signs at this place boasted paella, and we hadn’t had any yet at this point. Pete went for it, but was sorely disappointed. This wasn’t the heaping paella pan with seafood and yellow rice that we had seen in Seville. It was dry and flavorless.

Occasionally during this first year of marriage, I try to recreate the mood we had when we were in Europe. I don’t want to ever forget how happy we were, the wonderful memories we made and the adventures we had. In that spirit, I occasionally try to make meals from our honeymoon.

My latest inspiration led me back to paella. I went to my usual source for initial recon: the Internet. Between that and reading my Spanish cookbook, I found a million different variations. I figured I understood the general concept, so I chose chicken chorizo, chicken breast and scallops. I had some homemade chicken stock in the freezer and Arborio rice in the pantry.

Every recipe I read said paella should really be cooked on an open fire, so I decided to take the largest pan we own out to the grill. My pans are heavy duty, the kind you can take from stove top to the oven, so I crossed my fingers, put the pan right on the grill rack and checked repeatedly to make sure the handle didn’t melt.

I threw in olive oil, chopped peppers and onions to get the party started. I had some trouble with getting the temperature even and hot enough, but it finally started to sauté. Then I threw in the chorizo and chicken to cook for a while before adding the rice and stock.

Was this dish actually going to work? It looked good, though not the color I expected - it was yellow where the saffron had settled, but it was pretty pale otherwise. I set the scallops on top and covered it to cook those a little.

Pete was completely impressed before I even began cooking. I think it could have turned out like rice pudding and he would have eaten it with a smile on his face. But there was no need to worry. It was excellent — beyond excellent. The scallops were cooked well, the stock was just salty enough and the rice was tender without being mushy.

Then I realized a flaw: I forgot the tomatoes. Oops! That would explain the pale color. Did I also mention that I froze the wine in my overzealous attempt to chill the bottle?

There were tons of leftovers, and while the second-day version held up, I would not recommend a second rerun. I based mine on recipes that serve eight people and I halved it. I think when I try it again I’ll halve the half, remember the tomatoes and keep my eyes on the wine.

My Frankenstein Paella (should serve about six)

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 1 quart chicken stock

• ½ lb scallops

• ½ lb chicken chorizo

• ½ lb chicken breast

• 1 medium onion

• ½ cup red pepper

• ½ cup green pepper

• 1 medium tomato

• 1 ¼ cups Arborio rice (rinsed)

• ¼ teaspoon saffron (soaked in 3 tbsp of hot water)

• salt to taste

Heat an extra-large pan over even heat that will cover the entire bottom of the pan. Add oil to pan. Once oil is hot, add vegetables and parsley. When the vegetables have become soft, push them to the outer edge of the pan and add chicken and chorizo. Saute meats until cooked through and then combine with vegetables.

Add the rice and stir well to combine the flavors. Add three cups of the chicken stock and cover pan. Let simmer until the liquid is absorbed. Uncover and add the last of the stock to keep paella from drying out. Add the saffron and stir once more. Place scallops on top of the rice and replace the lid. Cook for about two minutes until scallops are opaque and serve.