Lamb and Barley Soup

Everyone at work was getting sick.  I was kind of on the fence figuring out if I felt crummy because of a cold or allergies, and decided to shop for the worst case scenario.

It did help that I had a quart of beef broth in the pantry because it had been on sale for 88¢.  All I had to do was decide what to put in it.  It wasn't reduced-sodium, so anything would have to benefit from a lot of salt.

I decided to go with a basic onion-based soup with a grain and meatballs.  Within five minutes, it had evolved into lamb and barley.  That would be something filling if I was well or satisfying if the cold developed.

PS, it was just allergies.  I put on all that water weight from salt over hay fever.

*1 qt beef broth (reduced sodium if you can get it)
1 lb ground lamb
1 medium yellow onion
1/2 lb carrots
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (no salt)
1 C pearl barley

1.  Set a soup pot over medium-high heat.  Roll the ground lamb into 1" meatballs and place on the bottom.  Cook to brown on both sides while you chop up the onion into large dice.  Add onion to the pot and sauté with the cooking meatballs in all their fat.

2.  You have at least five minutes at this point to start the barley.  In a separate pot, combine dry barley and 3 C water.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer.  Cover and cook until the grains are split and softened, about half an hour.

3.  When the onions are as soft as you like them, add the beef broth and can of tomatoes with their juice.  Bring to a simmer and cover.  Cook for 20 minutes.  Peel and cut carrots in rounds.  Cook another 10 minutes.

4.  Drain cooked barley.  I saved the water to make a fruit barley water with an orange off my tree.  Add barley to the pot and stir to combine.  Taste and add salt or pepper if necessary.  Serve hot.

Difficulty rating  π