We asked Kansas City chefs how they perk up turkey and the other usual T-Day suspects. Their message: Unexpected is delicious. Ingredients are pictured clockwise from the top, starting with pomegranate juice.

1. Pomegranate juice

Michael Smith of Extra Virgin and his namesake restaurant in the Crossroads Arts District reduces the tart-sweet liquid to a molasses that acts as a marinade for turkey, enhancing its natural flavor. (Pom Wonderful, 24 ounces, $8, area Price Chopper stores.)

2. Finishing salt

Renee Kelly of Renee Kelly’s Harvest says the lemon-and-salt combo with fennel plays nicely with green beans and mashed potatoes. (The French Farm Citrus Fennel Salt, 7 ounces, $17, Sur La Table, 430 Nichols Road.)

3. Dried mushrooms

Smith reconstitutes them by soaking them in water and uses them to fortify sauces and stuffing. (Melissa’s porcini mushrooms, 0.5 ounce, $4, area Hen House stores.)

4. Smoked paprika

Celina Tio of Julian uses this variation to add smokiness to roasted squash. (Williams-Sonoma Smoked Paprika, 1.8 ounces, $9.95, Williams-Sonoma, 4764 Broadway St.; 5204 W. 119th St., Leawood.)

5. Anchovy paste

There’s actually nothing fishy about using the tube form of pulverized fillets. Smith likes the salty richness it adds to braised meats (he’s not always into turkey on Thanksgiving) and even roasted Brussels sprouts. (Amore, 1.6 ounces, $2.95, area Price Chopper stores.)

6. Pumpkin seed oil

Smith likes to mix this intensely nutty-flavored oil with cider vinegar to dress green salads with pumpkin seeds and pomegranates. It’s also good for rubbing on the turkey. (International Collection Pumpkin Seed Oil, 8.45 ounces, $12.69, area Hen House stores.)

7. Almonds

Colby and Megan Garrelts of Bluestem in Westport say almonds and blue cheese are an alternative to cream of mushroom soup and fried onions for green beans. Smith sprinkles them inside stuffing and salads for extra crunch. (Blue Diamond Whole Almonds, 16 ounces, $7.88, area Hy-Vee stores.)