Adding pearl barley to soup

[MoreThanUs]

We've got a thing about pearl barley at the moment - absolutely love it and want to use it where we can. If I wanted to add it to a homemade smooth soup (like leek and potato - make it then whizz it up), would I make my soup as normal, then add uncooked barley and cook it for 40 minutes or cook it in water / stock until soft and then add it?

Also, how else do you use it? If I wanted to add it to casserole, would I cook it until soft first and then add it?

When I cook it for a soup I put it in right at the beginning and cook in the water that's flavoured with the rest of the soup.

In a pan I would add it at the correct time and let cook in the soup too :)

First paragraph supposed to have slow cooker!

Thank you! Anyone else, or am i officially boring? (Does feel like a crazy world asking about this when following Zombie's thread)

You just chuck it in at the start for soup or stew and let it cook in the liquid of the dish.