White Bean and Ham Soup

1.	Preheat the oven to 175°C. In a large soup pot, melt the butter. Add the onion, carrot, garlic, thyme and coriander and cook the vegetables over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes.
2.	Add the stock, beans, and ham and bring to a boil. Cover partially and cook over moderate heat for 20 minutes.
3.	Meanwhile, toss the baguette cubes with the olive oil and paprika and season with salt. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until toasted.
4.	Remove the ham from the soup and cut it into 1cm pieces. Discard the thyme sprigs.
5.	Working in two batches, transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
6.	Return the soup to the pot and stir in the diced ham. Season the soup with salt and pepper and ladle into warmed shallow bowls.
7.	Top with the croutons and scallion and serve.

	1 EL Butter
	1 Large White Onion - Coarsely Chopped
	1 Carrot - Shredded
	1 Garlic Clove - Smashed
	3 Thyme Sprigs
	1/2 Tsp Ground Coriander
	950ml Chicken Stock
	3 (425g) Cans Cannellini Beans
	450g Smoked Ham - 1 Piece
	1.5 Cups Baguette - Cubed
	2 Tbsp Olive Oil
	1 TL Sweet Paprika
	1 Green Onion - Sliced Crosswise