Some ideas are brilliant. Others are... just fried cucumbers. In this hour-long culinary misadventure, a humble cucumber faces its fate in scorching oil. What happens when hydration meets combustion?

In a colander set over a bowl, toss the cucumbers with the 2 teaspoons of salt and let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse well and squeeze dry. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Add the ...