Saffron Pearl Barley Risotto Recipe

Can you believe I've never cooked Barley before?  I love the old standard: Beef & Barley Soup, but I've never even made that!  This morning I made a Stewy Crock Pot thing with Lentils (which I'm also pretty sure I've never cooked!) and it was supposed to be served over Barley. Well the stinkin' book assumed I knew how to cook Barley & guess what?!  I don't!  Dang it!  So I googled a few recipes & got some ideas & then this is (approximately) what I did... it's basically a risotto method.

In a small saucepan, heat stock (any flavor you want or have on hand)  I used about 3 1/2 cups

In a med-large spot Sweat 1 med chopped onion (my son Kanan chopped for me & cried buckets! ) in some olive oil for about 5 minutes

add the non-rinsed Barley (1 cup dry)

saute that for a few minutes, add a pinch of saffron, about 1 Tsp of Tumeric & 1/2 Tsp of Cumin

Stir & saute that for about 2 minutes

start adding hot stock, a ladle full at a time (about 1/4-1/3 cup)

stir often

add more stock when the pot is almost dry (no burning or sticking should go on)

keep doing this for a 20 million years until the barley is plump & cooked thru.  (yes you have to taste it,  it'll take about 40 minutes or so)

season with a bit of SS&P (Sea Salt & Pepper, of course!)

Serve with gusto!  

It was yummy all by itself (IMHO) but my plan was to use it a base for the Midas Feast (Lentil Stewy Crock Pot concoction) which also worked out...(: