Chef Stefan Richter's winning recipe (Bravo photo)

Calling all couch potatoes: “Top Chef” and Quaker Oats are offering fans the chance to cook their way to a visit to the set next season.

Each week, competitors on the show participate in two cooking challenges. They have limited time in in the quickfire challenge, and the winner cannot be sent home that week or earns another perk. The second challenge — the elimination challenge — is more involved, and the loser leaves the show.

Here’s an excerpt from the press release:

In conjunction with Bravo’s hit reality creative competition series “Top Chef,” all at-home chefs and fans of the show can submit their original recipes, which showcase Quaker Oats as an exciting and versatile ingredient, to www.BravoTV.com. (Editor’s note: You’ll find the link to the contest at the bottom of the page.) Then, in early March, visitors to the site will vote to select three finalists who will travel to New York City and compete in the first-ever Quaker Oats Viewer Quickfire Challenge. The finalists will experience what it is like to be a Top Chef when they compete in a live Quickfire Challenge and prepare a new, original dish using Quaker Oats. The winner will have the chance to attend a future Top Chef episode.

“Top Chef”  is a master at product placement, and last week’s quickfire challenge required the use of Quaker Oats. Here’s Bravo’s version of the winning recipe, Banana Oatmeal Mousse with Almond Crisps, from “chef’testant” Stefan Richter. (I haven’t tested this recipe, which I’ve tried to adapt to home kitchens.)

BANANA OATMEAL MOUSSE WITH ALMOND CRISPS

Yield: 4 servings

For mousse:

3 1/2 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon rum
1 1/2 cups unsweetened whipped cream
1/3 cup finely diced banana

For almond crisps:

2 ounces almonds
2 ounces toasted oatmeal
2 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped

To prepare mousse: Melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in the microwave at 50 percent power.

Beat egg yolks with sugar until fluffy. Mix in melted chocolate and rum. Fold in whipped cream into mix. Fold in banana. Scoop into serving dishes; refrigerate until cold.

To prepare crisps: Toast almonds on a sheet pan in a 350-degree oven until fragrant and starting to brown. Let cool, chop coarsely and transfer to a medium bowl.

Spread oatmeal on the sheet pan and toast just until it begins to brown, stirring occasionally. Combine with almonds.

Melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in the microwave at 50 percent power. Fold melted chocolate into almonds and oatmeal. Using a tablespoon, scoop mixture onto parchment paper, making petit fours. Refrigerate until firm.