Coconut Black-Eyed Peas, from “A Mouthful of Wonderful” by Kim Sunee, can be served warm with rice but is equally wonderful at room temperature.

Summertime is high season for eating outdoors; weekend plans fill up with cookouts, backyard parties and picnics.

That often means bringing a dish, usually a dessert or salad, to go with the host's main course.

With salads, the lineup is often the same: potato salad, coleslaw, pasta salad, baked beans, bean salad.

We wanted modern takes on these classics, and this spring's crop of cookbooks offered plenty of inspiration.

In his new cookbook, “Down South,” New Orleans chef and restaurateur Donald Link spices up a carrot and raisin salad with homemade curry powder.

Link also updates an apple and raisin slaw by adding ginger, jalapenos and cooked bits of country ham or prosciutto for heat, crunch and saltiness.

Food writer and memoirist Kim Sunee cleverly pairs coconut milk, ginger and chiles with black-eyed peas for a fresh take on hoppin' John.

In “A Mouthful of Stars,” Sunee writes that she considers black-eyed peas to be “the catfish of the legume family — musky and murky if not cooked properly.” She discovered that the murkiness vanishes when the peas are cooked like an Indian-spiced lentil dish.

The recipe was delicious at room temperature and without rice, which makes it a contender for taking to the outdoor feast.

Food blogger Lisa Fain updates Texas macaroni salad in her book, “The Homesick Texan's Family Table.”

Fain explains that a Texas macaroni salad involves pasta, pickles, peas, peppers and a mayo dressing. But it wasn't to Fain's taste: “It's a little cloying with the sweet pickles and sweet mayonnaise.”

Fain's version adds cabbage for crunch, lime juice and mustard for balance and chipotle peppers for heat.

“It's a little more modern taste, a little more to my taste,” Fain said.

That's exactly what we're looking to bring to the next picnic.

This dish can be served warm with rice but is equally wonderful at room temperature. From “A Mouthful of Stars,” by Kim Sunee (Andrews McNeel, 2014).Yield: 8-10 servings1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil¾ cup diced carrots (about 2 small carrots)¾ cup diced yellow onion1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced1 Granny Smith apple, cored and diced1 pound dried black-eyed peas, rinsed and picked through (soaked overnight, if needed)5 cups water1½ tablespoons hot curry powder or garam masala2 teaspoons sea salt1 teaspoon ground cumin½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper1 large juicy orange½ to ¾ cup canned unsweetened coconut milk, shaken½cup fresh cilantroGarnish: chopped red onion, chopped fresh jalapeno, lime wedgesHeat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat; add the carrots, onion, ginger, garlic and apple. Stir and let cook about 3 minutes, being careful not to burn the mixture.Add black-eyed peas, water, curry powder, salt, cumin and black pepper; stir and bring the mixture to a boil.Skim the froth, decrease the heat to medium-low, and simmer about 40 minutes, until the peas are almost tender. Stir occasionally, mashing some of the peas against the side of the pot for creaminess. Add more water, as needed, if the peas are dry.Add the zest from one-quarter of the orange, then cut the orange in half and squeeze the juice into the peas. Add the coconut milk and stir.Simmer, covered, for another 7 to 10 minutes, until the peas are tender. Taste the peas and adjust the seasonings as needed.Pour peas into a large serving dish. Garnish with the cilantro, red onion, jalapenos and lime wedges.

From “Down South,” by Donald Link with Paula Disbrowe (Clarkson Potter, 2014).Yield: 4 to 6 servings½ cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise2 teaspoons curry powder (preferably homemade, recipe follows)2 teaspoons kosher salt1¼ teaspoon cayenneJuice of 1 lemon1 pound carrots, peeled and shredded (about 4 cups)2 cups good-quality raisins1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, thinly slicedMix the mayonnaise with the curry powder, salt, cayenne and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Fold in the carrots, raisins and parsley.Refrigerate the salad for an hour or up to four hours to allow the flavors to develop.Homemade curry powderYield: ¼ cup2 teaspoons cumin seeds2 teaspoons cardamom seeds2 teaspoons coriander seeds1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground turmeric1 teaspoon dry mustardHeaping ¼ teaspoon cayenneToast the cumin, cardamom and coriander seeds in a small, dry skillet over medium-low heat until the seeds are lightly browned and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the seeds to a bowl and let them cool completely.Add the turmeric, dry mustard and cayenne and mix to combine. Grind the spices in a coffee grinder.Store this curry powder in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Chef Donald Link suggests these apple varieties for this slaw: Gala, Braeburn and Golden Delicious. From “Down South,” by Donald Link with Paula Disbrowe (Clarkson Potter, 2014).Yield: 4 to 6 servings4 apples, cored and cut into matchsticks, about 4 cups½ cup mayonnaiseJuice of 1 lemon1 tablespoon ginger juice (see note below)2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves1 large jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and mincedKosher salt and black pepper2 ounces crispy prosciutto or country ham, optionalUse a rubber spatula to combine the sliced apples in a medium bowl with the mayonnaise, lemon juice, ginger juice, cilantro and jalapeño; season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss the salad with prosciutto if desired.Note: Use a box grater or large-toothed Microplane to grate about 2 tablespoons ginger. Use your fingers to squeeze the juice from the grated pulp. If you prefer, you can use a garlic press to extract the pungent juice from a slice of fresh ginger.If you want to add crispy prosciutto to the salad, thinly slice the ham and fry it in a couple of tablespoons oil until crisp, about 3 minutes. Transfer the ham to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Break the ham into small pieces over the salad.

This macaroni salad is for fans of coleslaw and egg salad with its addition of red cabbage and hard-cooked eggs. Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce can be found with Mexican ingredients at grocery stores. From “The Homesick Texan’s Family Table,” by Lisa Fain (Ten Speed Press, 2014).Yield: 8 servings2 cups shredded red cabbage1 teaspoon kosher salt8 ounces elbow macaroni4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and diced½cup grated carrot2 cloves garlic, minced¼ cup finely diced red onion½ cup chopped fresh cilantro½ cup diced sweet cucumber pickles¼ cup mayonnaise1 tablespoon fresh lime juice1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard1 canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, diced¼ teaspoon cuminPut the cabbage in a strainer and then place the strainer in a bowl. Toss the cabbage with salt and refrigerate for 1 hour. This step will drain the cabbage of its excess water and keep it crisp in the salad.Cook the macaroni according to the package instructions, drain, rinse and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour.One hour later, take the cabbage from the strainer and place it in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs, carrot, garlic, red onion, cilantro, pickles and macaroni.Whisk together the mayonnaise, lime juice, mustard, chipotle chile and cumin. Spoon this dressing over the salad and stir until well combined. Taste the salad and adjust the seasonings, if necessary.(While it should be chilled enough to eat immediately, it will be even better if refrigerated for at least an hour before serving.)